In My Heart, I Never Truly Left
by Avonnalay-Ariemay
Summary: Complete. Naraku's dead, and Inu makes a wish on the Shikon to bring back all the innocent people killed during the shard hunt. Kikyou comes back, and problems arise between Inu & Kagome. Kouga helps Kagome through the betrayal from Inuyasha. KagKouga
1. Chapter 1

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(A/N) Hello everyone. Ummm, this is my first Inuyasha fic, so please go easy on me. I usually write fics to Harry Potter, but a friend of mine is an adamant anime fiend and she drug me into the story of Inuyasha. Just for everyone to know, I've only seen the American version of the story on Cartoon Network. Because of this, I am sure that there are many mistakes in this story. I would appreciate it if you would leave a review and tell me about any you find. I'll make the corrections immediately. Ummm, alright, on with the story.

Disclaimer - It's not mine. It never was. Everything belongs to Takahashi Rumiko. Well, the plot is a little bit of mine, but that's it.

The End is Here

  


The morning sun dawned clear in the forest. It was going to be a warm summer day. However, this mornings birthing rays of sun was not met by the cheerful, carefree chirping of birds or the fuzzy song of katydids that inhabited the wooded surroundings. No where were there young creatures stirring from their restful night of uninterrupted sleep. Instead, the morning was dead silent, the only sound heard was the harsh breathing of a white-haired hanyou who had just destroyed the epitome of evilness in ancient Japanese demon world. 

Inuyasha stood in the middle of the forest clearing, bleeding profusely from the wounds he had received in battle. All around him, the result of the ferocious battle he and the others had just finished lay open to the world to see. He took a deep breath and used Tetsusaiga to stabilize himself before taking inventory of what had just happened. His thoughts immediately turned to his traveling companions. He jerked up right and looked around anxiously, yet he needn't look far. 

To his left lay Shippo and Sango. The little kitsune was bleeding profusely from his leg, and he seemed to be in a complete daze. The demon exterminator was out cold, her lithe form unresponsive to the suns bright rays that beckoned her to awaken. Blood stained her black body suit and her boomerang was stuck in a tree trunk right above her head. To his right, Miroku was struggling to push his way off of the ground. The monk was badly beaten and the bruises were beginning to form at points on the skin that was exposed from the tears in his robes. The monk glanced around wearily, assessing the damage done to the group, and quickly spotted Sango's unmoving form. Inuyasha watched as Miroku pushed himself up and went to Sango's side, wincing and cursing under his breath as the movement jarred the already tender areas. The hanyou sighed and shook his head, realizing how close they had come to losing their lives. A low moan came from behind him. Inuyasha turned his head slowly, wincing as the cuts, abrasions, and wounds were forcefully moved and the congealed blood on his body was torn open. He gasped and felt his anger rise up again. Thrown against a large pile of boulders was the body of Kagome. She was lying on the boulders, not moving. There was blood on her forehead and her arm was turned at an awkward angle at her side. She didn't move, and Inuyasha could not tell if she was even alive or not. He would have believed her dead already had it not been for the moan that had caught his attention only seconds before. He quickly prayed to whatever god there was that the girl was fine. He pulled his sword from the ground and began to walk over to the unmoving form of the reincarnated miko. He stopped suddenly when he heard her groan again. She finally pulled herself off of the boulders and shook her head, trying to clear the fuzziness that surrounded her vision. Inuyasha watched silently as the miko stood up and walked towards him.

"We've done it, Inuyasha." she muttered weakly. "We finally did it. It's all over now." The young hanyou grimaced as the girl knelt down beside him. He felt woozy as the adrenaline that had flooded into him at the beginning of the battle began to thin in his bloodstream. He blinked rapidly and looked around. His stomach gave a violent lurch when the putrid smell of hot blood registered in his mind. All around him, bodies of the dead youkais were lying. Blood was everywhere. On rocks. On trees. In the ground. On him. It was all over. He shook his head and sighed heavily, willing himself not to pass out from the overwhelming smell of blood and the intense pain that seared through his body..

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They had been ambushed in the clearing, neither Kagome or himself had sensed the evil intruders. It had been a bloody battle as Inuyasha and the others faced off against youkai and hanyou alike. Each one of the would be attackers fell to the ground in the end, until only one remained. Inuyasha had faced his demons, and won. By this time, everyone of Inuyasha's group had been down, except for Kagome. She had managed to use her increased miko powers to shield herself and the downed forms of their companions from the onslaught of the attacks. When all of the attackers had been defeated, and only the master remaining, she had let the shield down due to complete exhaustion. Then, Inuyasha and Naraku had fought to the end. They were matched evenly, blow by blow. It had only been when Kagome remembered Naraku's old respect for the priestess Kikyou that she figured out a way to make his guard slip. 

She had thrown herself into the battle, unconscious of what the consequences would be. She waited until Inuyasha had retreated from the evil hanyou for a quick breath of air before she used what was left of depleted miko energy to change herself into a nearly exact replica of the dead priestess. She walked out of the security of the side lines and pulled her arrows from her pack. When she walked out into Naraku's field of vision, he stared at her. She smiled as evilly as she could manage and pulled an arrow from her quiver. A soft pink light had enveloped the arrow from tip to tail, the power of the Shikon No Tama. Naraku, believing her to be the shade that was under his command, sent a boost of his own energy to the arrow that she had pointed at the growling Inuyasha. Naraku was so entranced at his soon to be victory that he had not picked up on the differences in Kagome's and Kikyou's smells. He had walked up to Kagome and glared at Inuyasha. 

"It is over, you filthy hanyou. I've won." he had muttered. "The Shikon no Tama will be mine." Inuyasha growled and made for the foolish hanyou. At the same time, Kagome had spun around and sent the arrow into Naraku's heart. The point blank range that the arrow had been shot at sent it completely through the body of the hanyou, purifying his soul and body; and effectively killing him for good. Suddenly, Kagome had lost Kikyou's appearance and she stood before the dying Naraku with no form of defense. Her miko powers were so depleted that she had no energy left. In a last attempt to destroy the hanyou Inuyasha and human miko Kagome, Naraku sent a powerful wave of energy to the both of them. It had knocked the white-haired hanyou to the ground and sent the spent miko flying towards the pile of boulders she had just got up from.

Inuyasha glanced down to the bloody, beaten, and broken body of the hanyou Naraku. A soft pink light was emanating from his chest. Kagome weakly picked up the remaining half of the Shikon No Tama and placed it with the others that hung form her neck.

When the two halves merged, soft pink light fell onto the clearing, bathing everything in an ethereal glow. With the power of the jewel pulsating wave after wave of pure energy around them, Inuyasha gathered Kagome in his arms and hugged her tightly.

"It's over. It's finally over......"

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Okay, um, how'd I do??? I'm hoping I didn't screw anything up too badly. But if I did, leave me a note saying so. More to come, hopefully. I know that this chapter doesn't give much information about the plot of the story, but it's coming. Anyways, later.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer- It's not mine. It never was.

A/N: Hello people. I'm back. Ummmmm. I don't know where to start, but here is another chapter for the story. The plot is still a little ways off, but I think you can figure out where it is going from here. Anyways, I've gotten a new computer, so I'm still learning all of the little nooks and crannies in it. Please, be patient with me. Once again, I am basing this story off of the little bit of the dubbed version I saw on Cartoon Network, as well as the other fics I've written.

Setting - A few days have passed since the jewel was completed. Everyone is recovered and Inuyasha is ready to make his wish. So, on with the story.

Inuyasha and Kagome were walking along a beaten trail that led out of Kaede's village. The sun was bright and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Kagome looked around and sighed contentedly. Around her neck was the completed Shikon no Tama. She and the hanyou walked hand in hand in silence, each one content to their personal thoughts. Hers were centered on the events of the past few days.

As they had recovered from the final battle with Naraku, Kagome had wondered what would happen to her now that the jewel was complete. She didn't want to leave the Warring States forever. She had made too many friends during her years chasing jewel shards. And no one she had spoken with wanted her to disappear either. Her feelings for her friends were strong, but stronger was the love for a certain white-haired, half dog hanyou named Inuyasha. It was her feelings for him that had thrown her into a big rut.

It was true. She had somewhere, somehow fallen for the hanyou during their travels, and now things were getting complicated. She knew he cared strongly for her. She thought back to the day after they returned to Kaede's village, beaten and badly in need of rest. However, he was soon to remedy her doubts.

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-Flash back-

Kagome was washing in the nearby hot springs when the crackle of limbs brought her attention to the bank. She peered over intently, trying to determine the origin of the sound. She watched closely for a moment or so, but finally gave up and chalked to noise up to birds or squirrels. She was about to turn around when a flash of red and white caught her eye. She had smiled and continued to bathe as though she hadn't noticed anything.

'Leave it to Inuyasha to watch while I'm bathing.' she had though. Her cheeks surged to a red crimson when she realized that her only covering was a two piece blue bathing suit. 'Well, there goes any modesty I had left. Not that I had any left, thanks to Miroku and his peeping.' she thought grimly. Another shifting of branches caught her attention and she turned around. 'His stealth ability is weakened by the injuries.' she thought. ' Any other time, I'd never know he was there.' She wrung out her hair and stepped up to the bank. When she picked up her towel from a nearby bolder, she saw a set of golden eyes disappear into the foliage. She sighed in frustration and put her hands on her hips.

"Inuyasha," she's called, "you might as well come out. I know you're there." There was no answering movement. 'So, he wants to be stubborn.' she thought with a sadistic grin. 'We can do that.' 

"Inuyasha, if you don't get out here right now, I'll say the 's' word." she called out. "I know you're still sore, healing powers or not. So don't force me to make it worse." She grinned when she heard a resounding growl emanate from a nearby bush. Slowly, a silvery-white mane of hair came out of the underbrush, glaring daggers at her.

"You really know how to take the fun out of things, don't you?" he growled playfully.

"Well, I'm sorry to put a break on your little peep show." she said. "It's okay though, I'm used to it by now."

"What?" he asked. Kagome smiled and shook her head.

"Please, I know you and Miroku have watched Sango and I bathe before. Thanks to that, I have very little, if any modesty left."

"We didn't watch all the time." Inuyasha grumbled. "You done yet?"

"No, actually, I was going to swim a little longer. Want to join me?"

"Feh." he answered. Kagome groaned and stepped back into the water. 

"I'll take that as a 'yes'." she said. She was almost waist deep in the warm water when Inuyasha tackled her into the water. She came up sputtering and pushing her hair out of her face.

"Inuyasha!!!" she yelled. "You stinking dog!! What'd you do that for!!!!!" She wiped her hair from her face and looked around. He was swimming out farther.

"Cause I could." he teased. Kagome swam towards him. When she finally caught up, she grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.

"That's not a very good…." her protest was cut off when she felt him pull her close and crush her mouth in a searing kiss that left her breathless……

And that night, when he took her for his own for the first time, it was her name he cried out, not Kikyou's.

-End of Flashback-

Kagome grinned happily and ran her fingers down to where her neck and shoulder met on her left side. There were two small bumps on her creamy skin. Inuyasha had marked her as his mate. Now, she finally had the elusive hanyou, mind, body, spirit, soul, and heart. She couldn't have been happier.

They walked for a while longer, eventually coming to rest under the boughs of a large cherry tree.

"Something the matter?" she questioned. The hanyou looked at her and fingered the jewel that hung around he neck.

"I think I've figured out what I want to wish for." he said. Kagome nodded and waited for him to continue. He took a deep breath and looked at her intently. "I've given it thought, and I don't want to be a full youkai, or a full human for that matter. I don't care anymore, Kagome." The girl smirked and hugged her hanyou lover.

"What do you want then?" she asked.

"I was thinking of bringing back all of the innocent people who were killed because of the shards. What do you think?" he asked, nuzzling her hair gently. Kagome smiled.

"I think that's a wonderful idea." she said. "It will make many people happy to have their loved ones back. That's so thoughtful of you."

"Well, I finally found out what it feels like to love, and be loved in return." he said. "I'd hate to loose anyone I loved." he said. "I'd hate to loose anyone I loved, and I can only imagine what those families must have been through." Kagome nodded and hugged her boyfriend even harder. 

"What gave you the idea for that wish?" she asked, really wanting to know his reasoning behind such an odd choice. 

"Sango actually gave me the idea." he admitted, hugging her close to him.

"Sango?"

"Yeah, I heard her tell Kaede one time that if she ever got married, she wanted her father there. But because of Naraku's henchmen, he was killed along with all of the others." he explained. Kagome nodded and looked lovingly up at him.

"When do you want to make the wish?" she asked.

"When we get back to the village." he said. "I want to use the wish and put that blasted jewel to rest once and for all. It's caused enough trouble." Kagome nodded and they began to walk out of the forest and back towards the village. While in the shadows of the trees hid the one thing that would hinder the couple's happiness. Masked by a covering scent, the emotionless entity had slipped by the hanyou's sensitive nose, but it had heard the entire conversation, and quickly began forming its plan of revenge on the miko and hanyou.

A few hours later in the confines of Kaede's hut, the Shikon jewel's glowing pink light filled the room. Kagome, the keeper of the jewel focused all of her miko power into the crystal. Images of translucent people swam in front of her face, and then suddenly, the disappeared. One particular entity walked forward and bowed to her. He was an old man, clothed in flowing white robes.

"Who are you that enters into the spirit realm?" he questioned gravely.

"My mane is Kagome, and I am the keeper of the Shikon no Tama." she answered. 

"The jewel of the Four Souls." he acknowledged. "What is your business here."

"We have gathered the scattered shards together in order to grant our wish.

"What is you wish, miko?" the old man questioned.

"I and my friends, the others who searched for the shards, wish that every innocent that was directly or indirectly killed by Naraku before and during the search for the shards to be given their lives back." The shade of the old man furrowed his brows and frowned.

"Do you realize your request, miko? I have not the power to grant that. Besides, there are those who will not want to go back to the land of the living." Kagome nodded in understanding, but pressed on anyway.

"Then allow the ones who want to come back, to come back." she said.

"Very well, my lady." the old man said lightly. "Your wish will be granted. However, I am afraid that you are not going to like the consequences of your wish as much as you would think."

"Excuse me?"

"There are those who were innocent when killed. However, now that they will be revived, they are not the same as before. During their time in this place, they have become bitter and cold." Kagome looked at the man and was about to question him.

"But…."

"Good-bye, my lady." The man disappeared and the next thing she knew, she heard Shippou's excited howl, and Sango's cry of relief as their beloved family members materialized in front of them. She was brought out of her daze when Inuyasha hugged her so tightly that she couldn't breath. 

She looked around and saw Shippo's and Sango's families embracing each other and crying their tears of happiness. The wish had taken much energy out of her and she snuggled up to Inuyasha with a smile on her face.

"I'm glad they're back." she murmured. Inuyasha only nodded, but Kagome could tell that he was pleased also. She fell asleep on her boyfriend with a contented mind. However, the spirit's warning still hung in the back of her mind like a warning of things to come. 

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"I am too…." Inuyasha mumbled, looking out of a nearby window and into the forest that surrounded the village. "I am too….." 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer - Not mine, never was. 

A/N - On with the story. Remember, if there are any typos or mistakes with names, please leave me a note referring to it and I will fix it as soon as I get a chance. Later.

Truths and Thanks

When Kagome awoke from her nap that evening, she was not surprised to see Kaede fixing something to eat for the inhabitants fo her small hut. Kagome crawled off of the futon and peeked around the door. The scene that met her eyes was comical to say the least.

Obviously Miroku felt that even though his hand was healed, he still had the right to grope around on Sango. Kagome stifled a laugh as she watched Sango smack the monk across the face with her boomerang. Sango sat down at the table and pointedly ignored the monk, ignoring the scolding her mother was giving her for being so rude to a follower of the spiritual world. Sango just rolled her eyes and proceeded to tell her mother that Miroku was not as innocent as he looked. Sango's father, on the other hand, had seemingly taken a liking to Miroku and was signaling for him to come sit by Sango. Kagome laughed and almost gave away her position when Miroku grinned and nodded. However, Sango's brother had other ideas. He glared at the offending monk and stuck out his tongue. He took the seat next to his sister and frowned at the monk. Kaede served the dinner and Kagome watched as Inuyasha gulped down a rather large helping of the ramen she had brought the last time she had come through the well. 

In no time flat, Inuyasha was finished and had noticed that Kagome was up. He grinned and walked out of the front door, telling Kaede that he was going for a walk. Kagome took the hint and slipped quietly out of the back of Kaede's hut. She walked around the hut and was quickly grabbed up by Inuyasha.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked. Kagome giggled and smiled.

"I was going to run off with Kouga." she said. "But, unfortunately, you seemed to have caught me before I could escape. Oh, darn." She sighed dramatically and looked up to her boyfriend. His eyes were slit and she could see the red starting to creep into his eyes. Inuyasha growled and sat her down on her feet with a frown. Kagome was startled at the sudden change of disposition. She tried to apologize to him before he could get any madder.

"Inuyasha," she said soothingly. "I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd get that mad at me for saying that." He only pushed her behind him and put his hand on his sword. Kagome watched in bewilderment. "Inuyasha, what's wrong?"

"Kouga's coming." he answered simply. Sure enough, three seconds later, a burst of wind settled through the town. It swirled the debris of the town around the two before depositing the wolf-prince in front of a very angry Inuyasha. As the dust settled, the inhabitants of Kaede's hut crammed outside of the small door. Shippo's eyes widened when they landed on Inuyasha.

"Uh-hu." he said. "Inuyasha's back from his walk." He pointed to where the hanyou was standing in a defensive stance in front of Kagome. Sango and Miroku shook their heads because they knew what was coming. Every time the wolf prince showed up, Inuyasha's temper and blood pressure would go through the roof. 

"The fireworks are about to begin." Miroku muttered. Sango rolled her eyes and pushed her way out of the crowd. Miroku took her hint and went to stand beside her. Shippou wasn't too far behind.

"Kouga," Kagome said smoothly, trying to keep the fur from flying, "what are you doing here? Is something wrong?" The wolf prince looked around and spotted Kagome being held behind Inuyasha.

"No, lady Kagome." he said respectively. He bowed low and grinned at the girl, who immediately blushed in response. "I was coming to ask you a question."

"Get lost, you baka!" Inuyasha barked. "You've got no business here!" Kouga just grinned and shook his head.

"Dog-turd!" he said loudly. "You still hanging around my woman? I thought I told you to leave Kagome alone."

"Get lost, you piece of wolf trash." Inuyasha said. "Before I rip you apart for the pure fun of it." Kagome, already tired of the testosterone match before it ever began, walked from behind Inuyasha and stood between the two warriors. 

"Inuyasha," she scolded gently, "calm down. He's not going to do anything." Inuyasha only growled in response. Kagome shook her head and turned to the prince of wolves.

"What can I help you with, Kouga?" she asked. Kouga looked at her and a genuine smile graced his lips.

"I wanted to know if it was you who had brought back the members of my pack." he asked. Kagome nodded, remembering that some of Kouga's pack had died at the hands of Naraku and his henchman. 

"Actually," she said. "it was Inuyasha who wished for the innocent people to be brought back. I had nothing to do with it." Kouga looked over at the hanyou and his grin faltered a little.

"So, the little hanyou is responsible for bringing back everyone." he said. "What happened, dog-turd. You don't want to become a full youkai anymore." Inuyasha growled and Sango and Miroku got between the two warriors.

"He decided that he could do more good with this wish than with any other one." Sango said evenly. 

"Yes, he wanted to use the jewel for something other than self indulgence." Miroku added. Kouga seemed honestly shocked. He smirked and walked over to Inuyasha. He got right in front of the hanyou and bowed slightly.

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Kouga said. "but thanks, dog-turd. My pack has been strengthened greatly due to that wish." 

"Get lost, Kouga." Inuyasha muttered. "I didn't do it for you." Kouga only frowned and looked at the hanyou again. His brows furrowed and he looked at him curiously.

"What's that smell on you?" he asked, waving his hand in front of his face. "You smell like you fell in an herb garden." Inuyasha seemed to stiffen for a moment before he growled at the prince again. 

"Get lost, little wolf." he said. "You're trying my patience." Kouga glared at the hanyou and turned back to Kagome. 

"Once again, lady Kagome," he said sweetly. "If you need anything….please don't………………………………" Kouga's sentence trailed off as he noticed the scar on Kagome's neck. He went three shades of pasty before being able to regain his speech. His temper reached its peak when he realized that Kagome had been marked by the hanyou. _His Kagome had been marked by that no good, half-breed Inuyasha._

"How could you??!!!" he roared at Inuyasha. "You marked her when you know that she is MINE!!!" He made for Inuyasha and only managed to grasp thin air. Inuyasha had jumped away and landed near Kagome. Kouga turned around, and saw the white-haired hanyou put a hand protectively around Kagome's waist.

"She's mine, wolfie." he smirked. "Get lost." Kouga looked at Kagome with the hurt present in his eyes.

"Kagome…." he murmured. "I….."

"I'm sorry, Kouga." she said quietly. "But I love Inuyasha." Kouga shook his head in dejection and backed away from the two.

"He won't make you happy, Kagome." he said quietly. "He won't always be there for you."

"Yes, I will." Inuyasha said through clenched teeth..

"Kouga, please." Kagome said. "I don't want to mess up our friendship because of this. Please leave before you two fight." Kouga glared at Inuyasha and shook his head.

"I will do as you wish, Lady Kagome." he said. "As I said before, if there is anything I can do to repay you, please let me know."

"You can repay them by getting out of here." Sango's father said sternly. Kouga looked up at the man and nodded grimly.

"Good-bye, then." he said. He turned to Kagome and bowed again. "Until the next time we meet, my lady."

"Good-bye, Kouga." Kagome said quietly. Kouga turned around and walked a good distance from the group before he was swallowed up in a whirlwind of dust. When the whirlwind disappeared, Kagome let a small sigh of relief go. Kouga was a wonderful person, but he tended to be a little annoying when Inuyasha was around. He purposely ticked the hanyou off just to see him get mad. Kagome knew that Kouga loved her, or at least thought he did. She personally thought that the friction between the two warriors because of her was only another of Kouga's attempts to get under the hanyou's skin. She shook her head and turned to everyone.

"Ummm," she said uncertainly. "You can let go of me now, Inuyasha." Inuyasha blushed and let his hand drop. Kagome grinned and turned around right as Shippou ran towards her. 

"Kaaagggooommmee!" he said. "You're awake." Kagome smiled wider and caught the kitsune in her arms. 

"I'm fine, Shippou." she said. 

"I was worried." he said quickly, hugging his surrogate mother. He quickly changed directions and jumped down from her arms. "Come meet my family, Kagome." he said. Kagome grinned and took the hand of the little kitsune. 

For the rest of the evening, Kagome was introduced to Shippou's and Sango's families. As dark fell, Kagome pulled Inuyasha outside to talk for a little while. She had been in the Warring States for over a month now, and she figured it was time to go home for a while. When she and Inuyasha got away from the village, she told him her plans.

"Inuyasha," she said. " I wanted to ask you something."

"Something wrong, Kagome?" he asked quickly.

"No, no, nothing is wrong." she said quickly. "I just wanted to know if it would be okay with you if I went home for a while." Inuyasha looked at her, no expression on his face.

"Why do you want to go home?" he asked. "You're not happy here, with me?" 

"No, no, no." she said quickly. "I want to go see my mother. I've been gone for over a month from my time. I miss my mother and brother and grandfather." Inuyasha looked around and nodded in agreement. He had never kept her away from the modern era for this long. Any other time, she would go back after a week and half or so. 

"How long are you going to stay?" he asked. 

"I don't know." she said. They continued to walk for a while before she broke the silence again. "You're not mad at me, are you?"

"Uh-hu." he said. "I was just wondering how long you were going to leave me by myself, all alone in this place." He put on his best puppy dog face and tried to get her to grin.

"You could always come with me." she said with a grin.

"I don't think so, Kagome." he said. "Don't get me wrong, I love your family. But, your grandfather doesn't seem to like it when I'm there. That, and the fact that your brother likes to drive me nuts with those video games." Kagome smiled and nodded, knowing that Inuyasha only voluntarily spent time in the modern era during the new moon. 

"It's fine." she said. "I'll only be gone for about two weeks." Inuyasha nodded and stopped walking. He looked at her and grinned. Kagome looked back and shook her head. "What?"

"When do you plan on leaving?" he asked with a mischievous grin. 

"Tomorrow, why?" she asked. Inuyasha smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. 

"Then I suggest we make the most of the time we have before you go home." he said quietly. Kagome grinned and shivered as she felt his hands caress her curves lovingly.

"Hmmm." she moaned. "Sounds like a good idea to me." Inuyasha grinned and gathered her into his arms, quickly jumping into the sky and taking them to a more secluded place. He was definitely going to enjoy what time he had left.

***** Back at Kaede's Hut *****

Sango and Miroku were helping Kaede pull more blankets out of closets and drawers that evening after Inuyasha and Kagome left. They piled them in the middle of the floor and began to sort them into beds. Miroku had been quiet since the evening meal, and this surprised Sango to no end. Sango was about to break the silence when Shippou came running into the room.

"Sango," he said. "Where did Inuyasha go this evening when he took a walk?" Sango looked down at the little kitsune and frowned.

"I'm not sure, Shippou." she answered. "Why do you ask?" Shippou frowned and shook his head.

"Because he smelled like Kaede's herb basket when he came back this evening. It wasn't a strong scent, but I noticed it after Kouga left."

"Maybe he went to gather some herbs for Kaede." Miroku said, pulling another blanket out of the pile.

"I don't think so." Shippou said. "Kaede was just saying that she needed to go gathering in the morning." 

"Well, my little kitsune." Sango said with a grin. "I don't know where the elusive hanyou went this evening." Shippou just nodded and began to help them carry the blankets into the next room.

_'I wonder if Kouga picked up that scent as Kikyou's?'_ he thought to himself. He put the blankets down and walked outside and into the cooler night time air. _'Inuyasha, if you hurt Kagome in any way, shape, or form, I'll kill you with my bare hands.'_ He vowed to himself. He knew that the hanyou loved Kagome, but he didn't know how much. And he also knew that Inuyasha had never got rid of his lingering feelings for the once dead miko. _'And if I can't put you out of your misery, I'm sure Kouga will be more than happy to.'_ He kicked a small clump of dirt and scattered it onto the night time wind. He looked up to the stars and wondered what that blasted baka hanyou was up to before sighing and going back inside. _'I swear, Inuyasha. You've been warned!'_

A/N - Well, how'd I do? Hope you are enjoying this. I'm needing some ideas. Please, leave my ideas. Like I said, I'm new to the story line, so please help out an ignorant goober-head. J J J Later.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer - It's not mine, it never was. 

A/N - Hello everyone. I just wanted to say thanks to the people who reviewed. Ummm, no one's complained yet, so I guess I must be doing something right. 

Kagome Leaves, and all Hell Breaks Loose

The next morning, Kagome bid her friends good-bye before jumping back through the well to her own time. Shippou was standing with his family, as was Sango. Unfortunately, by order of Sango's little brother Kohaku, Miroku was about fifteen feet away from her; and Miroku obviously was not liking it one little bit. Every time the monk would glance over anywhere remotely near the female demon exterminator, Kohaku would glare at him and stick his tongue out. Even with his healed hand, Miroku was a force to be reckoned with. Apparently, the little boy stopped Miroku's roaming hand with a good, hard smack to his head when Miroku's hand came within a ten foot area of Sango's rear end. 

Shippou, on the other hand, was very happy to have his own family back. His father was deeply impressed by the part the little kitsune had played in the search for the shards. In fact, he had only slept about an hour the night before because he was so happy and excited. The only thing that had put a damper on the little boy's enthusiasm was when Kagome had come back last night from little trip with Inuyasha. 

__

Shippou had been up still, everyone else was asleep. As soon as he heard the hut window in the back creek open, he had left his bed and peeked around the door. He sniffed the air closely and noticed that Kikyou's smell was still present, albeit faint. He huffed in indignation. He may be small, but contrary to what Inuyasha thought, he wasn't stupid. Kagome seemed happier than anything in the world, and had it not been for the lingering smell on Inuyasha, the little kitsune would have believed him to be a very happy hanyou. Shippou watched as Inuyasha kissed Kagome one last time and slipped out the window, saying he was going to sleep outside since there were so many people in Kaede's hut. Kagome had nodded and hugged the hanyou one last time before he slipped silently out of the window. Kagome had pulled back the light blankets and went to sleep, a happy and trusting smile on her lips. Shippou, on the other hand, was fuming. 'What is that baka half-breed doing?' was the only thing he could think of. 

He waited for about a minute after he was sure Kagome was asleep before going up to her quietly. He sniffed her carefully and jerked back. 'Inuyasha's smell is all over her!' he thought. He looked at the girl's face and grimaced. She was grinning, even in her sleep. He shook his head and crept out of the same window she had come in twenty minutes before. He looked around carefully for any sign of red or white, nothing. He sniffed the air, searching for a trace of Inuyasha's scent. 'Bingo!' he grinned. Covering up his scent the way Inuyasha had told him to do once before, he followed the scent out a ways from the village. When he got to the edge of the forest, he heard voices coming from up ahead. He dove silently into some nearby bushed and crawled to the source of the sounds. When he pushed the small branches back, he stifled an angry growl that rose up unbidden from his throat.

Inuyasha was standing in the middle of the clearing holding on to a girl in red and white miko clothing. If the little fox demon hadn't know that Kagome was still sleeping in Kaede's hut, he would have swore that it was her. He watched in silent anger as the hanyou slipped an arm around the smiling miko and they walked farther into the forest, but not before he was able to pick up a snippet of their hushed conversation.

"You came back, Inuyasha." the miko said quietly. "I was beginning to wonder." Inuyasha had pulled the girl into a hug and kissed her forehead tenderly.

"Don't doubt me, Kikyou." he had replied headily. "I told you we would be together again. I won't leave you now that I have you once again.."

"Of course not, my love." she had replied. "Of course not." They had walked farther into the forest together, and it was probably a good thing, because Shippou was about to explode from the pent up anger. When he was sure they were far enough a way not to hear him, he stomped out of the bushes and glared in the direction the two timing hanyou and dead miko bitch had walked. 'That no-good, two-timing baka!!!!!' Shippou thought angrily. More anger laced phrases ran through his little head, but he was in no shape to vocalize them. After standing, rooted to one spot for over five minutes, he finally turned around and walked back to the village. Only one thing was on his mind. 'Just wait until Kagome goes home. Don't do anything to hurt Kagome. Wait until she goes home before you say or do anything.'

Well, Kagome was gone now. And Inuyasha was about to get one Hell's worst beatings. Shippou's family was heading back to Kaede's hut, and he told them to go ahead. He needed to talk to Inuyasha alone. When everyone else was out of sight, and Inuyasha was perched up a tree close to the well, Shippou walked up to the hanyou and glared.

"Inuyasha," he said stonily. "Get down here."

"What do you want, brat?" the hanyou replied lazily. "I'm busy." Shippou's temper reached an all time high, and he exploded before he realized what was going on.

"YEAH, YOU'RE BUSY ALRIGHT!" he shouted angrily. "BUSY WAITING FOR KIKYOU TO COME RUNNING TO YOU AGAIN NOW THAT SHE'S ALIVE!!!" Shippou saw the shocked face of the hanyou before he realized what he had said. Inuyasha glared at the kitsune and put his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"What did you say, you little brat fox?" he asked, his voice dangerously low. He jumped down from the tree and walked over to the little seven year old kitsune. Shippou stood his ground as well as he could. Inuyasha had deceived the woman he had considered his mother for over two years now. This thought made the fox demon's once questionable courage flair up.

"You heard what I said, you two timing baka!" Shippou growled. "You've been running to that miko bitch since you made that wish!"

"You had better watch those accusations, brat." he threatened. "They're going to get you in trouble one of these days."

"They're not unfounded accusations. They're the truth!" he said. "I was up when you and Kagome came in last night. When you left, you didn't go get in a tree. You met Kikyou right outside of the village, near the clearing." Inuyasha's face turned red in embarrassment. He'd been caught red handed by that little boy. 

"I done nothing of the sort." he barked out, clutching his hand around the sword.

"Then I guess I was imagining things, huh?" Shippou asked quickly, eyeing the hanyou with disgust. 

"Knowing you, probably so." Inuyasha answered. Shippou shook his head and frowned.

"Why did you make that wish, Inuyasha." Shippou asked suddenly. The hanyou only looked down coldly at the kitsune. "I'll tell you why. Because you knew it would bring Kikyou back. You used the excuse to bring mine and Sango's families back as a cover. You never really cared, did you. You just wanted your damned dead miko back." Inuyasha growled and grabbed the little kitsune by the throat. 

"You're sticking your nose where it don't belong!!" he growled, tightening the grip on Shippou's throat. 

"If it has to do with Kagome, then it is my business!" he said, struggling against the iron grip. 

"No it doesn't!" Inuyasha yelled. 

"What about Kagome?" Shippou said. "What are you going to do with her? Keep her hanging here, then every time she goes home, run to Kikyou.?" Inuyasha only growled at the boy and closed tighter on his throat. 

"Kagome won't know." he said icily. Shippou hit at the hangout's clawed hands.

"If …… I ……dead…….questions……Ka….gome….." he gasped. Inuyasha's grip can constricted his airflow completely. If the hanyou didn't let go soon, he would kill Shippou. At the mention of Kagome asking questions, Inuyasha let go of the kitsune and let him drop to the ground. Shippou rubbed his neck and took some deep breaths, getting rid of the dizziness that had begun minutes before due to lack of oxygen.

"Like I said, Kagome won't find out." Inuyasha said coldly. "She'll be gone for two weeks. And you can't get through the well to get to her. The minute she steps foot out of there, she's going to be with me. I won't leave her alone long enough for anyone to tell her the difference." He picked up the kitsune by his neck and pushed him roughly up against a tree. "And if I find out you've told anyone else about this ridiculous tale, let's just say your family is going to be one member shorter than it is now." 

"You would kill me to keep Kagome from finding out about Kikyou?" 

"Yes." he answered, letting the kitsune drop. "I've killed for less than that before, so be lucky." Shippou looked up from the ground and growled.

"She already realizes that your wish brought Kikyou back." Shippou stated. "Watch your step hanyou, or she's going to find out without me having to tell her anything."

"Kagome's too caught up in her own little world right now. She won't notice anything." Inuyasha said, walking away from the downed boy.

"That doesn't mean won't others won't notice, you bastard hanyou!" he growled when Inuyasha was out of ear shot. 

Later on that day, Shippou was told that he and the rest of the family were going back home. Shippou quickly asked why and he was told that it was time for them to go back home and continue with their lives they had left. Shippou nodded, knowing it was no good to argue with his father. Come to find out, Sango's family was leaving to go back home too. And much to Kohaku's dislike, they were taking Miroku with them. The monk had managed to weasel his way into the hearts of Sango's parents, but little Kohaku still had an obvious distrust for him. Shippou chalked it up to him trying to protect his sister, even though the monk had been traveling close to Sango for over two years now. Shippou breathed deeply as he helped his family load the blankets Kaede had given them for the trip into a little cart his father had made. 

He did not want to go home and leave Kagome with Inuyasha. He knew the girl would only get hurt in the end, but there was nothing he could do to stop it. Only he and Kouga had picked up the scent of Kikyou on Inuyasha. Everyone else was completely oblivious to the smells emanating off of the hanyou, even Kagome. He suddenly dropped everything he was holding as an idea hit him full force. _'Kouga. Of course!'_ he thought. _'His pack runs right near this village. Maybe if I can catch him on our way out, I can tell him to keep an eye on Inuyasha for me. Perfect. And if he sees Kikyou with Inuyasha, he'll pop a vein.'_ He continued on helping his family and they left the village that night. Unfortunately, as they left the village, Kouga was no where in sight. Shippou gave up hope of finding a way to watch over Kagome. But, little did he know, that the very person he was seeking, was already putting two and two together to figure out what was going on himself. 

***** Kouga's Cave ******

Kouga was sitting on a boulder right on the outside of the entrance to his cave. His pack was scattered around him. Some had went hunting for food, others had stayed in the cave to sleep, while others were outside in the sunshine.

_ The Prince of wolves was in a rut. He had been running through the woods right outside of Kaede's village last night, trying to clear his mind of the thoughts of Kagome becoming Inuyasha's mate that had plagued him since he had found out, when he picked up a familiar scent on the wind. He stopped abruptly and sniffed again. It almost seemed like his mind was playing a cruel trick on him. It was Kagome's scent, but it was tinged with the smell of herbs. He stopped immediately and landed in a tree, crouching low so as not to be scene by whomever it was. He pulled himself lower onto another branch and looked in surprise at the creature giving off the scent. It was a girl. In fact, it was the girl that resembled Kagome so much. Kikyou._

He had watched in silence for a few moments before the smell of another demon came upon him. He quickly masked his scent and waited for the person to arrive. He soon found out that it was Inuyasha. Kouga, knowing full well about the 'relationship' between the two, (and knowing how much it affected Kagome) had watched as Inuyasha held the girl closely. He shook his head and tamped his temper down when he noticed the fresh, twin bumps near the left shoulder of the girl's neck.

"That bastard marked her and Kagome!" He whispered fiercely. 

His blood began to boil and he almost jumped out of the tree and started to pound on the insensitive, honor breaking hanyou. But, what caught his attention the most was when he picked up on a lighter smell. He looked out carefully, using the moon to search around. He picked out the smell and grinned in spite of himself. The little kitsune that Kagome had always kept near her was hidden in a bush not too far off from where the hanyou were standing. He watched as Inuyasha held the miko Kikyou to himself and whispered loving words to her. Kouga's only thought was 'Kagome. What about Kagome?'_ He managed to keep quiet and still until the obvious lovers left. When the little kitsune came out of hiding, he watched as the child's fury mounted higher and higher. When the little kitsune had walked away, Kouga left the tree and went to stand in the middle of the little clearing. Yep, it was Kikyou's scent he had picked up on the evening he had went to thank Kagome for bringing his pack back. He shook his head and left the clearing, wondering if Kagome had figured out that her hanyou lover was two timing her with the now-alive form of the miko she was the reincarnate of._

One of Kouga's pack members, a fellow wolf-demoness named Keiko sat down to the right of him. She had been a loyal follower of his father, and now she saw it as her responsibility to help the young prince.

"Is something the matter, my lord? You've been awful quiet lately." she asked respectively. Kouga looked up at the brown and white wolf demon with a blank expression before anger replaced it.

"I'm fine, Keiko." he said shortly. "I'd just like to kill someone right now." Keiko furrowed her brows and nodded, placing a motherly hand on Kouga's shoulders.

"It is about that girl, Kagome. Is it not?" she asked softly. Kouga only gave a gruff nod and continued to stare off into space. "Do you wish to talk about it?"

"No, I just want to kill that bastard hanyou, Inuyasha!" he said. Keiko nodded and motioned for the prince to rise and follow her. Kouga, not knowing what was going on, followed the older demon away from the cave. When they got to the spring that ran nearby, she stopped.

"Lord Kouga." she said. "I must impress upon you the waste of chasing after this girl. As you have told me, she is already mated to the hanyou. You couldn't take her now even if she agreed to it. You know the honor code of our kind. She is his now."

"No, she's not." he said flatly. Keiko waited, knowing that Kouga was greatly bothered by this. _'Something has changed in this situation.'_ she thought. _'But what? If the girl is marked, there is nothing he can do now.'_

"My lord, I do not understand." she said simply. Kouga looked over at the woman and frowned.

"There is another that bares his marking." he said flatly. Keiko shook her head in confusion.

"Another." she said in awe. "That cannot be, Lord Kouga. The woman would have to be dead. It is against a demon's code of honor to mark more than one mate."

"She was dead at one time. The same wish that brought the pack back, also brought the girl that bares the mark back." Kouga said in disgust.

"She was dead?" Keiko asked.

"Yes, Kikyou was brought back by Inuyasha's wish on the Shikon jewel." Kouga said flatly. Keiko looked astounded.

"Did this, Kikyou, bare the marking when she died?" the woman asked quickly.

"No, she didn't. Kagome told me one time that Kikyou would not allow herself to love Inuyasha because of his demon blood. Though they loved each other, Kikyou was never marked." 

"So she has just recently been marked?" Keiko asked. Kouga nodded, and Keiko continued on. "And Kagome? How long has she been marked?"

"I just say it yesterday, when I went to thank her for bringing back the members of our pack. It was still red, so she hasn't had it for long. Not even over twenty four hours." Keiko stared in astonishment at what the young man said. If what he was saying was true, then the hanyou Inuyasha had broken one of the strictest codes all demons were raised by.

Once a mate is chosen, they are marked. Only one may bare the mark of their husband or wife. It is a sign of life-long commitment, and not something that is easily broken. If Inuyasha had indeed marked two women with his bite, then Kagome was still pursuable. Inuyasha had broken the code of honor that binds two people together in the demon world. Therefore, the mark on Kagome's neck would heal in a short time, as would the one on Kikyou's neck. Only when the partners were faithful to one another did the marks stay permanent. Keiko shook her head and looked over at the leader of her pack.

"If what you tell me is the truth, Lord Kouga," she said gently. "Kagome's mark will fade, and she will not bare the hanyou's mark anymore unless he replaces it." 

"I know that, Keiko." he said dejectedly. "But Kagome doesn't know that Kikyou was marked by Inuyasha."

"The girl doesn't know?" she asked. Kouga nodded and shook his head.

"The hanyou is no better than his father." Kouga said. Keiko nodded, knowing the story of the hanyou Inuyasha and his full demon brother.

"Does anyone else know of his infidelity?" 

"Only one other. A little kitsune named Shippou that traveled with Kagome in search of the shards."

"I see." she said, nodding. Kouga looked up at the woman and shook his head.

"Keiko, what can I do?" he begged. "I don't want to see her get hurt by that dog-turd. But I don't want to see her upset when she finds out what he's been doing."

"Where is the girl now?"

"She went back to her own home." Kouga answered. Keiko nodded. 

"Is there anyone else who can get through that well to her?"

"Only Inuyasha." he said. "Why?" 

"I have an idea our little kitsune friend will be of help to us." she said. 

"I don't understand." Kouga said with a frown. Keiko nodded and looked at the prince.

"Go find this kitsune and bring him back." she said. "If you really love this girl, and are willing to stand by the consequences of what I am about to suggest, I will help you." Kouga nodded, not knowing what the old demon was referring to. He took off in the direction of Kaede's village without a look back at the she-wolf.

Later on that night, Kouga crept down to the Bone Eater's well and dropped a letter into it. Around the letter was a piece of Kagome's clothing she had left at Kaede's house for emergencies. Kouga watched as the letter floated downward, only to be surrounded by a bright blue light. _'It went through. Wonderful.'_ Kouga turned around and nodded to the little kitsune that stood next to him. Shippou nodded and crawled up onto Kouga's shoulders.

"Time to get you back to your parents, little one." he said. Shippou took one last look at the well and nodded. 

"Let's go." he said. "Kagome will get the letter." Kouga nodded and sped away from the well. As he sped through the forest, he picked up the combined scents of Inuyasha and the miko Kikyou. They had been through the place they were at earlier that night. Kouga shook his head and sped up, determined to get the kitsune back to his parents before morning. All he could think of was Kagome, and the tears that she would cry on behalf of that wretched hanyou.

"I'm so sorry Kagome." he muttered. "I'm sorry." 

_Okay, you guys figured out how the letter got through the well? No? Well, here's how. In my world, Inuyasha and Kagome can travel between eras because the well will only allow their aura's through. Now, the reason there was a piece of Kagome's clothing on the note was because when they dropped it into the well, the well would only sense Kagome's aura, therefore allowing it through to the other side._

Now, you might be asking why didn't Shippou just put on Kagome's clothes and jump through the well. It's because the well would have sensed a foreign aura and not allowed it through.

Okay, after all of my incessant rambling and explanations. Tell me if you liked it, or if I am getting completely off track. 

It might be a while before I get to update again because I'm starting college classes on Monday, and I have orientation this weekend. So, bare with me, please. I'll get back just as soon as I possibly can.

Remember, reviews are like chocolate. A girl can never have enough!!! ^u^ 

Bye for now.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer - It's not mine, it never was. 

A/N - Here we go people. Hope you enjoy.

What's In a Letter?

Kagome was happy to be back in her own time. She had spent the last month in the Warring States and when she set eyes on her house the first place she headed after telling her family hello was the bathroom. There was nothing wrong with bathing in the hot springs, but she did enjoy it when she could sit in a bath tub full of hot water and soak. At least then she didn't have to worry about getting peeped on by anyone looking for a free show. She sunk down into the water and let in envelope her tired weary and sore body. Her thoughts drifted back to the Warring States and a smile came to her face. _Inuyasha._ She was so happy that the search for the shards was over. Now, they could move on with their lives and continue on where they had left off. She fingered the scar on her neck and smiled again, wondering if she should tell her mother about the change in the status of her relationship with the hanyou. _I'll tell her later. _ She had been so happy to be home that she had left her big yellow bag in the well when she had come out. Figuring that it had survived this long, a few more hours in the elements wouldn't hurt it. _I'll go get it when I get done with my bath……maybe._ For now, she just relaxed into the soothing flow of water and let her loving thoughts drift back to her lover, five hundred years in the past. 

*** The next day***

While Kagome was with her family, retelling the tale of their final battle to her little brother, a slap rang through the forest in the Warring States. One young lady by the name of Sango was knocking on a young, corrupted monk named Miroku. They were on their way back to Sango's home village, and Sango's father had asked the monk to accompany them. Miroku, never one to pass up a chance to be near the female exterminator, accepted the offer. They were getting closer and closer to Sango's old home, since it was only about a day and a half travel away from Kaede's village. 

Sango had been walking with her brother when she felt something rub her bottom, not taking time to think about her reaction, she quickly spun around and left a hand print on the side of Miroku's grinning face. When her hand connected, a resounding 'pop' rang through the trees. Sango's father quickly turned around and hid a smirk when he saw the hand print on the monk's face. He watched as Sango yelled at the boy and stomped off, leaving Kohaku to deal with the monk. When his daughter got closer to him, he only nodded as though he had not seen anything and continued to walk at a steady pace. Sango's mother, on the other hand, shook her head and scolded her daughter.

"Sango, really, what have you been learning during your travels?" she asked. "A lady does not strike a man who follows the spiritual world!!" 

"He's not a follower of anything except his own hentai thoughts!" she growled. "Besides, would a real man grope another woman to whom he has no connection with what so ever?!" Sango's mother seemed taken back at the change of her daughter's disposition. 

"Sango!" she said. "I will not have you speaking like that about a monk!!" 

"Mother," she said exasperatingly, " no disrespect intended, but if you like him so much, you go stand by him because I've had enough of his roaming hands!!" The young girl stomped away from her parents and continued up the path at a much faster pace. Her mother was aghast.

"What have these people done to my daughter?" she wailed. "All these travels have turned her into a disrespectful, unhonorable girl." Sango's father only smiled and patted his wife's shoulder reassuringly.

"They have done nothing, my love." he said. "Sango is merely standing up for what she believes in. Would you have liked it if someone put their hands on you, uninvited?" Sango's mom seemed taken back.

"She should not be so disrespectful to a member of the cloth." she said, referring to Miroku's deep purple robes. "It will anger the ancestors." Her father smiled and shook his head.

"Our ancestors will be glad that we have brought up a strong woman who is unafraid to put her life on the line for the ones she loves." he said gently. "If I remember correctly, you weren't exactly a proper young woman when we married, either." The older woman blushed and put her head down, knowing that her husband spoke the truth.

"I still do not like it." she said with finality.

"It will be fine." he said. "I do believe that the young monk has feelings for our daughter. However, he is taking the wrong approach to wining her heart." With this statement, the woman's eyes lit up like the sun. She had always wanted Sango to marry well. And the monk was a good man who paid attention to her daughter. _'Although it seems as though Sango is not appreciative of the attention.'_ she thought. She looked back at the monk, who now stood with little Kohaku and smiled. Yes, Miroku and Sango were a wonderful couple. They each had the strengths and weaknesses that interlocked to form a solid barrier. Even from her short time knowing the young man, she had taken a liking to him. She smiled and continued on walking next to her husband, content to have a talk with her daughter when they were at home and settled.

Meanwhile, Miroku was being accosted by Kohaku. 

"You big baka," he said. "Can't you leave my sister alone? How many times does she have to hit you to get it through your thick head?" Miroku looked down at the little boy and frowned. It was obvious that the little boy did not particularly care for him. 

"I tend to have to have certain points re-iterated to me a few times." he said with a grin.

"Whatever." Kohaku said. "Just keep your hands off of my sister. I just got her back, and no one's taking her away for a long time. Especially not some perverted monk who can't keep his hands still!" Miroku looked at the boy and blinked a few times in surprise. This boy meant business.

"I'm not going to do anything to your sister, Kohaku." he said. "Especially nothing she doesn't want me to do."

"You're not going to do anything, period." he said to the monk. "You're going to stay away from her." Miroku just grinned and bowed to the boy.

"If you say so, young one." he grinned. "If you say so." Kohaku frowned and nodded, continuing to keep pace with the delinquent monk.

"I say so." he said with certain finality. Miroku only smiled and continued to walk with the little boy.

**** Later own that day, in the modern era***

Kagome had walked out of her house and to the Bone Eater's well to retrieve her bag. The whole way there, her thoughts centered on Inuyasha. She loved that hanyou more than was possibly considered healthy. She had told her mother about the change in their friendship. Kagome had broached the subject gently, but being a mother, the older woman knew what was coming. Surprisingly, her mom had no objections to it. She only requested that Kagome and Inuyasha come visit them often from the Warring States. Kagome had cried and hugged her mother. She was happy that her mom accepted Inuyasha for what he was. Her grandpa, on the other hand, hadn't been as receptive to the idea. He shook his head and frowned when Kagome told him. He hadn't liked the idea, but there was nothing he could do to stop her. The only thing he had said was that demons were not humans. Kagome had smiled and hugged her grandpa, thanking him for being so understanding of her feelings. Of course, Souta was ecstatic. He had bounced around the shrine for hours afterwards, yelling how Inuyasha was going to be part of his family. 

Kagome grinned and walked down to the well house, scanning the darkened corners for her bag. She smiled when the light reflected off of the bag and she walked over to pick it up. Her foot hit a rock and she kicked it out of the way. When it landed, she heard a fluttering of paper. She looked down and saw the offending rock, but it had something tied to it. She picked it up and looked at it with mounting curiosity. She couldn't see what it was, so she put it in her pocket and picked up her bag, intending to read it when she got back inside and into better light. She heaved the bag up and left out of the well house, a sudden feeling of dread over coming her as she turned and shut the door that led to the passageway that put her five hundred years into the past.

**Back in the Warring States**

Kouga was pacing the floor in agitation. He did not know if Kagome had found the note yet, and it was driving him crazy. He looked over to where Keiko was sitting with one of the younger pups. He grinned as she told the little girl pup how she could tell one plant from the next. Keiko was the healer of the pack, and her knowledge of helpful plants had helped him and the pack numerous times. The little pup was watching intently as Keiko mixed two plants up and showed the little girl how to apply it. _"Kagome would make a wonderful mother.'_ he thought. _'She has the patience to teach them what they need to know. And I am beginning to believe that her love is limitless.'_ He stood up and walked away from the two females. His thoughts were firmly centered on Kagome. 

"This is going to drive me nuts before I find out what she's going to do." he said bitterly. He took off towards Kaede's village quickly, hoping to find the old woman. He needed to talk with her about something very important.

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest.

Inuyasha was waiting in a clearing for Kikyou. He had given Kaede the slip earlier that day. He had made his way into the tree tops to sit and think about his current situation. He did not know what to do. Kagome had went back to her time, but Kikyou was still here and waiting for him. His sense of loyalty to Kikyou had brought some complications when he had wished the innocents back. He thought that the once dead miko could give up on him once she was alive. However, that had not seemed to be the case. When he had met her in the forest right after the wish had been granted, she had declared her love for him. And he had froze. 

He had marked Kagome only days before as his mate, but Kikyou had not seemed to care. She had basically seduced the white haired hanyou that night, and it had thrown some complications into his relationship with Kagome. His lingering feelings for Kikyou had kicked into overdrive, and before he realized it, something was suddenly different, and he was too far gone to really do anything about it. 

"Kami, I screwed up!" he said. About that time, he heard soft footsteps coming to the clearing. It was Kikyou. He had decided to tell Kikyou to leave him alone, and what had happened was just a mistake. He still loved Kagome, and did not want to loose her. However, when Kikyou stepped into the clearing, another smell assaulted his nose. The sweet, heady scent surrounded him and his mind went into a sudden jangle as his demon sided sensed the reason behind the smell. _'Shit!!'_ he cursed mentally. _'She's in heat!!'_ He shook his head and dropped down to the grassy forest floor. Kikyou gasped in surprise and smiled at the hanyou.

"Inuyasha," she said softly. "I'm glad you came back." She smiled happily at the hanyou, and Inuyasha's head seemed to slip into a deep abyss. He looked at the girl and grinned. A sudden feeling of warmness enveloped his heart. She was his.

"I told you I wasn't going to leave you again." he said. In his mind, he knew he should not be saying this, but something was compelling him to the miko, and it was not the scent. She nodded and walked up to the hanyou, encircling him with her arms. 

"No, my love." she whispered, stroking his soft silvery white man of silky hair, "No you're not going to leave me again." Inuyasha breathed again and the scent of Kikyou enveloped his sensed. He tried to fight the cloak of subtly that had taken over, but it was no use. Kikyou was holding him, and he was suddenly content to keep her there. All thoughts of another girl name Kagome flew from his mind.

"I'm not leaving." he said quietly. Kikyou smiled and pushed herself up against him. 

"What about Kagome?" she asked with a frown. Inuyasha only growled in response and pulled her closer.

"Who?" he asked. Kikyou smiled evilly, knowing that she had the hanyou now. And Kagome could do nothing about it. What was once hers, was hers again.

**Modern era***

Kagome had just got back from the grocery store with her mother. She had spent the day with her family, catching up on what had happened while she was gone. She brought the groceries in and her mother told her not to worry, Souta would help her put them up. She thanked her mom and went back to her room to unpack her big yellow backpack. As she climbed the stairs, she smiled. She had only been out of the Warring States for two days, and she wanted to go back already. _'I miss Inuyasha.'_ she though dejectedly. She still had not figured out why he would not come with her when she left. Even though her grandpa would ward the entire house, it had never really bothered him before. Even Souta would give up on the video games after a while. Something was not panning out, but she was not about to worry about it. 

She opened the door to her room and heaved the back pack onto her bed. She unsnapped the top and began to pull things out of the depths. It didn't take her long to clean it out, and she threw it back into the closet. She would not need it again any time soon. She picked up the pile of dirty clothes and threw them in a hamper nearby. _'I'm going to be washing for a while.'_ she thought with a frown. She walked back over to her room and picked up another suit of clothes she'd had on earlier. She picked the skirt up and felt something in the pocket. She frowned and remembered that she had found a letter in the well, tied to a rock earlier that morning. She pulled it out and untied it. Around the rock was not only the letter, but a piece of red cloth. 

"What in the world is this?" she asked Buyo. The cat only meowed and stretched out on her bed. Kagome smiled and untied to letter from the rock. She sat back on her bed and began to read it. The first thing she noticed was that it was in Shippou's little kiddy scrawl.

"Shippou?" she asked uncertainly. "What's going on here?" She opened the letter and began to read it in earnest.

__

Kagome,

I wanted to send you this before my family and I left to go back home. I just want you to know right now that nothing is wrong with anybody. So, don't go jumping into the well and fighting to get back for no reason. Everyone is fine. 

There is one reason why I'm sending you this, though. Kagome, I don't know how to say this, but there is something you need to know about Inuyasha. He's not exactly being truthful to you since the wish was granted by the Shikon no Tama. I don't want you to get the wrong idea or anything, but I do want you to know that Kouga is here with me as I write this. He saw something that you might find………interesting.

Kagome, please, I want you to ……I don't know what I want you to do. But there is something that you need to know. And it's not something that you need to find out through a letter. I know you're supposed to be home for two weeks, but I wanted to know if you would be willing to come back a few days earlier. What we, Kouga and I, want to tell you can wait until then. If you do decide to come back early, don't let Inuyasha find out. What we need to show you concerns him, and if he knows your back, the truth will never be told.

Kagome, Kami, I don't know how to put this, Kouga is putting one of his pack members close the well if you do come back. The minute they find you, they'll take you back to Kouga. He's the one that wants to show you this. By the way, be sure that you come at night. I am pretty sure that no one will notice you then. I can't get away from my family, in fact, it's the middle of the night right now, and Kouga had to come get me from the camp. After we drop this off, he's taking me back to my family. 

I love you Kagome. Please, I know this is an odd way to find out something like this, but ……you just need to know. Good-bye for now.

Your loving son,

Shippou

Kagome frowned and shook her head before scanning over the letter again. She folded it back and looked over at where Buyo was asleep on the bed. 

"Buyo, there's something wrong." she said. "Something is wrong with Inuyasha and the others." She looked over at her clock and frowned. It would be dark in an hour. She shook her head and frowned. _'Looks like I'm going back earlier than I though.'_ she thought. She put the letter on her dresser and sat down on her bed. 

"Shippou said wait until dark to come back." she said in confusion. "I don't get it. And what's Kouga got to do with this?" She petted the sleeping cat and frowned. "Whatever it is, Inuyasha's not going to like it." She sat on her bed and sighed. Just when she thought things were going to go smoothly, something backfires with the wish. She wracked her brains out trying to think of something that would cause this much of a problem because of the wish. Of course, her first thought was Kikyou. She knew that the wish had brought back the miko, but Inuyasha had assured her that Kikyou was no longer a threat when he had marked her. She put her hand to her neck and searched for the mark. The hanyou had told her that the marks were permanent once they were formed. There was only two ways the marks would fade. If one of the partners were unfaithful, or if they died. She fingered the bumps, noticing that they seemed smaller than before, but she let the thought go, chalking it up to the initial swelling going down.

Something else had to be wrong. She loved Inuyasha, and he would never betray her. He had swore himself to her, and he would not go back on his word, or so she thought. She got off of her bed and went to the kitchen. She told her mom that she was going to go back down the well for a day or so, and the older woman nodded. So, Kagome waited for the sun to go down before she found herself traveling a well worn path to the direction of the Bone Eater's well. She jumped into the well and waited for the world on the other side to appear before her.

"Inuyasha." she said quietly. "Please be safe. I couldn't live if something happened to you and you left me here without you."

__

A/N: Okay peeps. How'd it come out? Okay? Horrible? Terrible? Good? What? Leave me a note telling me. Oh, by the way. I don't know what Kohaku is supposed to act like, so I just kind of made it up as I went along. It seemed to fit well for me. How about you? Later.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer - It's not mine. Never was.

A/N - Okay people, I'm back. Hope you're enjoying this so far. So, on with the story. 

Kuarasama paced up and down the timberline near the Bone Eater's Well. Kouga had sent her to watch over the well in case the female human came back. He had given her strict instructions not to be found by the hanyou, or anyone else for that matter. Kuarasama had accepted the order and changed into her wolf form before departing from the cave. She had been there since noon, and was starting to get annoyed. There had not been a sign of the girl all day. She wanted to go home, but her loyalty to the leader of her pack forced her to stay. 

The demoness sat down on her haunches and looked up to the sky. The moon was clouding over with the rain clouds of summer. It had been unbearably hot the past few days, and the evening showers were a welcome, albeit brief respite from the heat. The stars were shining in all their glory, trying to get their brightness through the impending clouds that worked to cover them. She shook her head and settled down onto the grass. The hanyou had left out earlier that day, and had not come back yet, so she had no worries about being caught. 

Her thoughts drifted over to the leader of her pack, Kouga. The wolf prince was in love with a human girl. She shook her head, knowing that it was an impossible combination, but hoping that it would work out in some way. Kouga really loved the miko girl. Anytime he would come back after running and she sensed the girl's smell near him, she noticed that he was in a better mood. Unfortunately, she did feel a bit sorry for the young prince. The girl was hung up on that ridiculous hanyou Inuyasha. _'Some females have no taste in males.'_ she thought dryly. 

The demoness actually liked the girl, as did most of the pack. She remembered the last time she had seen the girl, and a smile graced her face.

__

After one particularly rough battle with an opposing pack, Kagome had helped Keiko to heal some of the fallen members of their family. Of course, the hanyou had objected, but Kagome had shut him up rather quickly. The demoness had to give the girl credit, she could handle that stubborn hanyou as well as she could handle injured wolves. The girl had cared for the injured members with a loving demeanor and gentle hands. Even the pups, who normally shied away from strangers, had wound up playing with the miko girl. Kouga had stood back, watching the interaction between the miko and his followers with a happy spark in his eyes that was only apparent to those that had known what it meant. 

It was love. Pure and simple. Kouga loved the miko. Kagome was the love that Kouga lacked in his life. 

Kuarasama shook her head in annoyance. It was starting to rain, and she did not want to stay in the woods. She growled and walked further into the forest.

_'If he wants to see her so bad, why doesn't he come get her.'_ Kuarasama thought. The wolf demoness found a shaded spot as the rain began to fall mercilessly. After pushing some leaves around to form a some what soft bed, she lay down to wait until morning, when her time would be over with and someone else would come. She was about to doze off into a peaceful nap when a sharp scent came across the soaking wind. She picked her head up carefully and sniffed again. Sure enough, the sweet smell was there. 

Kagome had come back. _'She could have picked a time when it wasn't pouring down rain.'_ Kuarasama thought dejectedly. The wolf left the confines of her shaded area and walked out into the pouring rain, following her nose to the scent. _'Well, at least Kouga will be happy to see her.'_ she thought.

Kagome pulled herself out of the well and looked around, clutching her shirt to her more tightly as the drops of rain pounded onto her. It was pouring down rain. The lightning flashed and lit up the night time sky like a light bulb lights up a darkened room. It was pitch black, no moon or stars visible at all now. _'I'll wring Shippou's neck the next time I see him.'_ she thought. _'No more waiting until night fall to come back.' _The wind was howling and she started shivering as she began to walk towards Kaede's village. As she turned towards the well trodden path, something jumped out in front of her. She jumped back, taking in a large wolf with amber eyes in front of her. 

"Oh man," she said quickly, "where is Inuyasha when I need him?" The girl began to back up slowly, hoping the wolf would back down and go away. There was no such luck, the wolf walked forward towards her. When Kagome was backed up against the well, the wolf stopped. Kagome, not knowing what to do, stood shock still. There had never been wolves this close to the well before. The lightning cracked again, and Kagome took in the amber eyes before the next flash of lightning showed a woman with waist length black hair and almond shaped eyes standing in front of her.

"What the…..?" the surprised miko asked. "Who are you?" Kuarasama bowed and stood up tall, her black hair plastered to her face from the wind and rain.

"I am one of Lord Kouga's followers." Kuarasama said gravely. "I was sent here to wait for your return." Kagome looked at the demoness and frowned. 

"I remember you." she said suddenly. "You're Keiko's daughter." Kuarasama nodded with a small smile on her face. 

"Yes, Lady Kagome. You are correct. Keiko is my mother." Kuarasama said. 

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" Kagome asked suddenly. "I got this letter saying that Kouga and Shippou had something to tell me about Inuyasha." The older demon looked at the girl carefully, no expression on her face. Kouga had explained to her what had happened, but it was not her place to tell the miko.

"I know nothing, Lady Kagome." Kuarasama said. "However, I do believe that Lord Kouga has the explanation you desire. I will take you to the pack if you want." 

"Why did the letter tell me not to search out Inuyasha?" she asked. Kuarasama only shook her head.

"I know not why, Lady." she answered. "As I said before, I am sure Lord Kouga has the explanation you desire." Kagome frowned and nodded. 

"How long will it take to get to the cave?" she asked. 

"Only a few moments if I carry you. The rest of the night if we walk." the woman said.

"Well, I definitely don't want to be standing in the rain all night." Kagome said. "So I'm voting for you carrying me." Kuarasama smiled. "I won't be too heavy, will I?" 

"No, Lady." Kuarasama said, scooping the girl up. "You will be fine." Kagome nodded and found herself being pulled through the forest at an alarming speed. Kuarasama held tight to the girl, not wanting her to fall. The demoness smiled happily. _'Yes, Kouga will definitely be happier to have her back.'_ She dodged through the trees with great ease.

Five minutes later, Kuarasama pulled up sharp in front of a large cave. Another sharp smell cut through to her, a coppery smell that turned her stomach.

Blood.

The rain was still pounding on the two females, and she quickly urged Kagome inside and out of the elements. Kagome, only too happy to agree, went through the opening of the cave, only to be greeted by the sight of about five beaten and bloody bodies of demons lying on the ground floor. 

She gasped and nearly fell to the floor as she made out what was going on. Lying on the floor was a small youkai with red fur and a fluffy tale. Kuarasama, noticing the body also, held onto the girl. She growled and looked over to another member of the pack.

"What happened here?" she barked out. The younger wolf looked at her and frowned.

"Kouga went to go get that little kitsune, Shippou, I think his name is. He took a few others with him just in case trouble arose. Anyway, after they got the kid, he was on his way back when a couple of youkai's attacked. Kouga and the others got away, but not before getting badly beaten." he said. Kuarasama growled and held on tighter to the now struggling Kagome.

"SHIPPOU!!" she screamed. She fought against the wolf demon that held her. Shippou was hurt, and she needed to get to him. She finally felt the claws of the female demon loosen and she sprinted to the side of the little kitsune. The members of the pack backed away and let her go, knowing who she was and what she could do. She kneeled down and looked over the damage inflicted on the child. His vest was torn and the pants he usually wore were ripped to shreds. There were a set of marks on his body that began at his left shoulder and went diagonally to end on his right thigh. _'Claw marks!'_ Kagome thought quickly. She took inventory of the rest of his injuries. Nothing to major was apparent. The claw marks were the worse, and they were already starting to heal by themselves. 

"Shippou, can you hear me?" she asked, pulling his head into her lap and stroking the blood soaked hair gently. "Shippou, it's Kagome. Come on sweetie, talk to me." 

His body was unresponsive and Kagome felt the tears well up inside of her. She hung her head, knowing he was only sleeping but wanting him to be jumping up and down like before. A gently clawed hand grasped her shoulder gently, and Kagome turned around and faced the aging Keiko.

"He has been out since they brought him back." she said sullenly. "He will wake in a few hours, Lady. Let him rest." Kagome looked up at the woman through bleary eyes and nodded, knowing that the little youkai would heal in a matter of hours. She placed the boy back on the small bed and grabbed a wet skin from near by, using it to wipe the matted blood off of his face.

"My Shippou." she said gently. "Be well soon, my son." Kagome, now somewhere back on planet Earth looked at the bodies of the others. One was a female and the other three were males. The female was awake and trying to sit up, but having no luck as another member of the pack made her lie back down and rest. She looked around and took in the three male youkai lying on the floor. They were the most beat up. She looked at their faces and gasped when she saw that Kouga was one of them.   


Keiko heard the girl's intake of breath and looked up as she stared at the fallen wolf-prince. Kagome had never seen the prince hurt this bad, even when he battled Inuyasha, the worse he got was a bruise and wounded pride. There were bite marks, claw marks, and bruises all over the place. A deep gash on his head was still trying to clot. Keiko looked up at the girl and handed her a skin.

"Help me clean them up, child. These wounds much be tended to before they become infectious." Kagome took the skin and fell to her knees beside Kouga as Keiko called out to the pack.

"Kuarasama!!" the woman yelled.

"Mother?"

"Bring me my bag of herbs. Then get another skin and help clean up Shama." she said urgently, pointing to the other fallen wolf. The woman nodded and Keiko soon had her bag of herbs by her. Kagome took one look at the face of the old woman and suddenly went onto auto pilot. 

Kaede had taught her how to treat many types of wounds and such with the native herbs of the land. Keiko laid out the necessary plants and began to mix them together to form a paste. The female youkai had regained some of her senses and had hobbled over to the working women.

"What kind of youkai was it?" Keiko asked quickly. 

"It was a spider youkai." the girl answered. "There were hundreds of them. Another bear youkai caught me and the kid when we tried to get away." Kagome looked down at the prince of wolves and frowned. He was badly beaten, and his breathing was getting shallow. She pushed his head band back and breathed deep. There were to small holes right above his ears.

"He's been injected with the venom." Kagome said quietly. Keiko looked up at her in surprise. She had already checked all of them for puncture marks and found none.

"Are you sure, Lady? I found no puncture wounds." Kagome moved aside and nodded. She gestured to the site and frowned.

"Look here." she said, pointing to the two holes. Keiko nodded and quickly got to work checking the other two men. They too had the puncture marks. Keiko, Kuarasama, and Kagome quickly went to work treating the men. They made a drawing paste out of different herbs that would take the venom out of the blood stream. Each of the women worked quickly and carefully, covering the puncture wounds with the black salve. They cleaned the scratches and waited as the men's body's healed themselves slowly.

The girl who had been caught in the cross fire had told Kagome that she had been ordered to take Shippou back to the cave. That's why neither of them had been bitten. Kagome only nodded and continued to work with the other two women to save the men. They worked for hours, and Keiko and Kuarasama finally went to take a nap while Kagome watched over the men.

Hours later, Kagome was standing outside the cave, stretching in the morning sun when a certain kitsune's voice came ringing through the cave. Kagome turned around and was almost barreled over by one very over-excited fox demon.

"KAGOME!!!" Shippou wailed happily. "YOU'RE BACK!!" Kagome picked the young child up and hugged him. 

"Yes, Shippou." she said. "I'm back. Now quiet down. There are others still sleeping."

  
"Not anymore." Keiko said with a grin, coming out of the cave. "I believe your pup woke them all up." Shippou looked down in embarrassment and blushed. 

"Sorry." he said quietly. The old woman smiled and continued to walk towards the nearby spring to gather some fresh water.

"Is Kouga awake, yet?" Kagome asked, hoping the prince would have awoken by now. Keiko frowned and shook her head. Kagome said nothing and continued to look at Shippou.. It is all right about the noise, child. The pups will have them up in no time." Shippou smiled and hugged Kagome even harder. Kagome suddenly frowned and looked down to the child.

"Shippou." she said gently. "I have something to ask you. Do you promise to tell me what it is?" Shippou looked up at her and nodded, knowing what was coming.

"Is it about the letter?" he asked. Kagome nodded, pulling out what was left of the letter from her pocket.

"What's going on, Shippou? What's wrong with Inuyasha?" she asked gently. The little kitsune stared at the ground, pondering how he was going to break the news to his surrogate mother.

"Kagome…..Inuyasha has been….well…" the little kitsune stuttered. He looked up at Kagome with wide eyes and frowned. "You're not going to be mad at me when I tell you this……are you?" The miko smiled and took the little boy in her arms.

"Of course not, Shippou. I just want to know what is going on?" she said. "Is Inuyasha hurt or something? And what does Kouga have to do with all of this?" Shippou looked down at the ground and shook his head.

"No, the stupid baka is still alive!!" Shippou said fiercely. Kagome looked at the little boy and frowned, waiting for him to continue. " Kagome, when Inuyasha made his wish, he brought back some people that didn't need to be brought back," Shippou began carefully. "He's been…….."

  
"KEIKO!!!! LADY KAGOME!!!!" came an urgent scream from inside the cave. Kagome looked back to the entrance as one of the men who had been hurt ran out.

"Shama, what's wrong?" Kagome asked quickly. 

"Ah, Lady Kagome." he said. "Lord Kouga is sick. He is thrashing about uncontrollably! You must do something! The fever is making him delirious!" Kagome looked towards the cave and shook her head. She and Keiko had tried all night to draw the venom out of the men. Shama and the other man had woken up, but Kouga was still out of it. She nodded and ran back into the cave, Shippou on her heals. She ran to the closed off area and knelt down by the sick youkai. He was tossing and turning violently, muttering incoherent things the whole time. 

Kagome looked down at the young man before her and shook her head, her fear mounting moment by moment. She reached out and touched him gently. He was pale and cold, but there was sweat all over his face. His breathing was shallower and the herbs hadn't seem to be help any. She shook her head again.

"There is still venom in his body." she said weakly. "I don't know what to do." About that time, the curtain to the area was pushed aside and Keiko came in. She knelt down and checked the prince's temperature. When she pulled back, there was a look of hopelessness on her face.

"The venom is still there." she said quietly. "Unless we can find a way to get it out in the next few hours, he will die." Kagome looked up at her with wide eyes.

"He's a youkai. He can't die." she said. Keiko frowned at the young girl.

"Yes, my child. He can. The venom injected into him is slowly working it's way through him. It is destroying what ever it comes in contact with, and his body is so weak he can't fight it off. There's more damage being done that can be repaired." Keiko said sadly. Kagome looked down at the young man and started to cry. 

Kouga was a dear friend to her. He had helped them in the search for the shards many times. He had always been kind to her, even when Inuyasha was being a jerk. And, he always made her feel better. She clutched her shirt and shook her head.

"There has to be another way." she said quietly. "He can't die like this." Keiko looked carefully at the girl.

"I know of nothing, Lady." she said. Kagome slowly began to cry. All of the memories of her encounters with the kind prince flashed through her head. The first time they had ever seen each other, the fight with the demons for the shards, the elated look on his face only days before when he had come to thank them for bringing back his pack members. She looked down at his body again, remembering how vital and healthy he had been only days before. She dropped her head in sadness. He could not go like this.

Keiko watched the girl carefully. She was crying. Keiko was confused immensely. She knew that the girl did not love Kouga. Respected him, yes. Loved him, no. Of course, she could have been wrong. Figuring that there was nothing left she could do, she gathered the kitsune in her arms and left Kagome with the wolf prince, ordering that no one was to bother the girl. 

Kagome was crying full out now. Kouga did not deserve to die. He was too nice of a person to have to go through this. She placed her hands on his and sighed.

"Kouga, come on now." she said through her sobs. "You can't go out like this. Wake up. You have a pack to lead." The prince stirred and began mumbling things.

"Dog-face…..miko bitch……kill……him…" Kagome listened, trying to find out what he was talking about. She knew it was Inuyasha he was referring to, that was the only person he called dog-face. He started thrashing around and Kagome held his hands to his side, intent on finding out what was going on.

"Kouga." she said gently, trying to sooth the demon's erratic thrashing. "It's Kagome. Come on now, talk to me. What's going on?" He shifted around again, but seemed to calm down. She felt him grasp her hand and he weakly opened his eyes. 

"Kagome…."

"Kouga," she said. "Rest, you need your rest so your body can fight the venom."

"Kagome…you need to know….Dog-turd and…..the miko….together." Kagome shook her head as the words sunk in. Inuyasha and Kikyou were together? _'Impossible. The fever is making his delirious.' _she thought quickly. She frowned and shook her head.

"Kouga. Inuyasha isn't with Kikyou." she said. He said nothing to her. His head rolled to one side and Kagome panicked.

"Kouga! Kouga! Don't do this to me, you wimpy wolf!" she said, using the name Inuyasha had often called him and hoping it would elicit a response from him. The wolf prince looked up at her through glassy eyes and tried to grin at her.

"I'm sorry, Kagome." he said. "You need to know."

"Well, if it is true, which I don't believe, mind you." she said with a weak smile and a soft voice. "Then you're going to have to show me to prove it." Kouga looked at her and nodded. "And to do that, you need to get better." She pushed his hair out of his eyes and used a wet skin to wipe his face off.

"I'll prove to you." he said weakly. Kagome shook her head and held his hand tightly. He was fading in and out of consciousness.

She had not noticed yet, but her hands had started to glow a soft pink light, the purifying power of the Shikon jewel. As she talked to the young man, the light spread and slowly outlined his body. When she did notice, she felt the power of the jewel erupt from somewhere deep inside of her. _'The jewel. Of course!'_

Kouga felt his body being purged of the venom as Kagome spoke with him. He clasped her hand, wanting her to know how much he cared. The more she talked, the better he felt. He could see her outline against the darkness that threatened to envelope his conscious. He was a warrior, a protector, and he would fight to protect this woman who was healing him. He waited until he had enough energy to speak again before saying the one thing he truly wanted to. 

"I love you, Kagome." he whispered. 

Kagome was concentrating her miko powers on healing the young man when her mind once again began to drift to another place. She was once again standing in front of an old man with flowing white robes. He nodded at her and she frowned.

"What am I doing here?" she asked him. 

"You are here because of your wish on the Shikon jewel." the old man replied gravely.

"I don't understand." Kagome said. "What has this got to do with the Shikon jewel?" 

"It is because of the jewel that your friend now lies at the steps of these gates." he said. "Your wish has caused him much grief. And as a result, he sought you out."

"Sought me out?" Kagome said. "He was on his way to find Shippou, not me." The old man nodded. "But there is more to this story than you may see now." 

"What is it?" she asked. "And how do I find out?"

"Heal the wolf; he will explain this to you."

"Why can't you?" she asked stubbornly.

  
"Because it is not my fight you are about to embark on." he said. "It is your own."

"Who am I going to fight with?" she asked. The man only smiled and bowed.

"Heal the wolf." he said. "And take care of the pup."

"Shippou?" she asked. "Wait, what does he have to do….."

"Heal the wolf." he said. "And take care of the pup." Kagome blinked as he slowly began to dissipate into thin air. Her mind was a blur and she felt like she was spinning out of control. Right before she felt like she was about to hit ground, someone jerked her back to reality. 

Keiko looked at the girl in surprise. She had come back to get Kagome away from the prince for a while, but when she had come in had made her breath leave her. The two of them were enveloped in a soft pink light, and Kagome looked as though she were in another world. It had lasted only a moment and when the light had left, Kagome had slumped over onto Kouga. Keiko pulled the girl up into a sitting position and then laid her on the floor next to Kouga. Looking over her, she noticed that the girl was just sleeping, but what amazed her the most was the change in Kouga.

The prince was breathing easier and his color was coming back. There were no sweat beads on his face and he had stopped thrashing about. She looked at the two of them and shook her head in disbelief. The miko had healed him. She had used the purifying power of the Shikon jewel to separate his demon blood from the venom and purify the venom from his body. Keiko smiled and got up to leave. _'Let them sleep.'_ she thought. _'I can do nothing for them now. They will heal on their own.'_

**__**

A/N - Okay peeps. I'm sorry, but that was a stinky chapter. I just decided to throw some weird twist in there. Hope is was believable. Anyway, leave me a review to tell me what you think. Later.

Oh, and I know that in the last chapter, I put Sango's mom in there. I don't really know if she has a mom in the series, or more appropriately what happened to her, so just deal with me on this please. I figured putting a scheming mother into the group would relieve some of the tension. Later.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer - Not mine, never was.

When Kouga began to stir that evening, finally waking from the venom induced sleep, he was surprised to feel another warm body lying next to him. He unconsciously pulled the person closer to him as he woke up. When he was wide awake, he looked over and found Kagome lying on her side, facing him. He blinked a couple of times, trying to figure out what she was doing there when Keiko walked through the curtain separating them from the main living quarters. She smiled at the close proximity of the two before noticing he was up.

"You are up, my Lord." she said. "Very good." She set the small bowl of water down and looked at him.

"What's Kagome doing in here?" he asked, looking at the old woman. Keiko smiled and turned around.

"I think we should let Lady Kagome sleep." she said. "Come, I will tell you of what has happened." Kouga frowned and got up from the pallet, but not before covering Kagome up with a light blanket. He followed the woman out of the curtained off area and out into the evening sky. 

"What happened, Keiko?" he asked. Keiko sighed and told him about the venom and her healing him with the power of the Shikon jewel. Kouga did not know what to think after she finished. He was surprised that she had used the Shikon as a way to heal him, instead of purifying him, but Keiko said that it was time to tell Kagome why he wanted her back.

"What if she doesn't believe me?" Kouga said. "What if she thinks this is some kind of elaborate plot to win her to my side and turn her against dog-turd?" 

"The only way you will find out is if you tell her." Keiko said gently. "She has the right to know. I am sure you have noticed that the mark on her neck is slowly fading."

"I noticed." he answered grumpily. Keiko nodded and walked away.

"I suggest you find the kitsune and bring him with you when you tell her." she said. "If he is there, I am sure she will listen to reason." Kouga stared after the old woman and shook his head. He had to tell Kagome what was going on. He just was not sure how to do it.

Meanwhile, in another part of Feudal Japan…..

Kohaku was helping his father and Miroku put some supplies in a small shed when they heard a yell pierce the air. Two seconds later, Sango came storming from out of the house, her anger very apparent and her temper flaring.

"Sango?" her father asked quickly. "What's wrong?" Sango looked at her father and glared. She pointed her finger accusingly at Miroku before turning to walk away. 

"He's the problem!!" she growled. At that moment, Sango's mother came to the door of the little hut, her own temper flaring.

"Sango!" she yelled. "How dare you speak to me like that. I am your mother! I am only looking out for your own future! It was only a suggestion!"

"Quit playing matchmaker! My future will not be with someone who can't…….." Sango started, but stopped when she looked up at Miroku's surprised face. Her stomach suddenly flipped and she looked down at the ground, lowering her voice to an almost whisper. "Never mind. I'm leaving, I'll be back in a few hours." She picked up her boomerang and left, walking down the street towards the outskirts of the village. 

Kohaku looked at his mother and frowned. She and Sango had been fighting about the monk since they left Kaede's village. He glared over at Miroku and shook his head. The monk just did not understand the way his sister thought. If he ever found out though, he might actually have a chance. 

But right now, his father was trying to find out what that last outburst was all about. He had went into the hut, leaving Kohaku alone with Miroku once again. This time though, the monk seemed withdrawn, and even a little hurt. The little boy looked over at the young man and frowned.

"You have any idea what that was about?" he asked. He watched as a sad expression fell on the monk's face. He even saw the moisture gather in his eyes.

"I have a vague idea." he mumbled. They finished stacking the wood and Kohaku shut the door to the shed. Miroku glanced towards the horizon, where Sango had walked off to. Kohaku sighed, knowing that the monk was thinking about his older sister. 

"You know she's a stubborn one, Sango." the little boy said quietly. Miroku looked over at the younger boy with a surprised look on his face. 

"I know, Kohaku." he said. "I know." Miroku picked up his staff and shook his head. "I just thought I might have been able to get past her defenses. Sadly, I was mistaken."

"Sango does care deeply for you, monk." Kohaku said quietly. Miroku raised an eyebrow at the suggestion before dismissing it completely.

"I doubt that, little one." he said with a snort. "Your sister cares nothing for me."

"So you're going to give up on her?" he asked. Miroku looked down to the ground and sighed.

"I wish it were as simple as that." he said. "If it were, I would have done it a long time ago."

"So you love her, then?" he asked. Miroku frowned and looked over at the boy. He seemed to be in a rather talkative mood this evening, which was odd in itself.

"I don't see what…"

"Just answer the question, Miroku." Kohaku said with impatience. 

"Yes. I do love her." he answered. "I have for a long time." Kohaku shook his head. 

"I think she loves you, too." he said. 

"I am afraid you are mistaken once again."

"Listen to me." Kohaku said. "You're the one that can get her to laugh anytime. I've seen that since I've been back. I've seen how you two interact with each other, and you don't hide your feelings very well. She's just scared. She's had to carry a large burden since we died. And she felt guilty about being left when we were gone. You may not notice it, Miroku, but the rest of us do. Even though you can't see it, Sango does cared about you."

"If she does care, then why does she hide it?" he asked.

"She's afraid to get hurt, or hurt anyone else." he answered. Miroku looked confused.

"I'd never hurt her." he said defiantly.

"Not you." Kohaku corrected him. "She's afraid of hurting you. She's also afraid that you might get your fill of her and leave."

"I wouldn't do that to her." he said. 

"Then prove it to her." Kohaku said with all the finality he could muster. "Show her you're not going to leave."

"But the longer I stay, the more Sango and your mother fight." he said solemnly. "I am causing discourse to spread in your family." Kohaku grinned and shook his head.

"Who? Mother?" he asked. "Ahh, don't worry about that. She and Sango have always butted heads when it came to important stuff."

"Really."

"Yeah. Especially when Sango decided to become an exterminator, like father and I. Mother went crazy, saying that a proper lady did not do things like that. They learned how to cook, clean, and keep their husband happy." The little boy grinned and hit the monk on the shoulder. "In fact, that's the first time that Sango told mother that her husband would have to deal with her the way she was because she wasn't going to change just to suit his tastes." Miroku laughed, knowing that Sango would say that exact type of thing. "Needless to say, they were at each other's throats for weeks. Mother finally gave way and let her go, knowing she would find a way to do it no matter what."

"But this time, I'm the reason they're fighting." he said. "I don't want that."

"You want to know why they're fighting?" he asked. "It's because Mother wants you two to get married." Miroku blinked rapidly, wanting to believe what he was hearing. 

"Huh?"

"You moron!" Kohaku said. "You don't catch a thing, do you?" Miroku said nothing, just kept looking at the boy. "Mother and Father approve of you, Miroku. They both think that you and Sango would be happy with each other. But, like these kinds of discussions go, Sango will fight with Mother until the bitter end, even is she does agree with Mother deep in her heart."

"So, you're telling me that Sango might agree to be with me, but because her mother suggested it, she fights against it?" The little boy nodded and Miroku was even more confused. "Why do they fight if they agree then?"

"Sango doesn't want to become like Mother." Kohaku said. "She told me that herself. She doesn't want to have to change who and what she is because of the man she's to marry. You see, Mother was a lot like Sango in personality when she was younger. She went against what was expected of a young woman. And when she married my father, she was forced to become something she wasn't, even though my father didn't want her to."

"She doesn't want a family?" Miroku asked with a frown. 

"No, she wants a family. And a whole bunch of kids to go with it. What she doesn't want is to become some domesticated house wife, when all she's ever known was exterminating." he explained. "Now don't get me wrong. She would quit if she ever became pregnant, but up until then, she's going to do what she was taught." Miroku looked towards the horizon and shook his head. 

__

'I'm going to regret doing this later.' Kohaku thought, pulling a box out of his pocket. _' But maybe it'll help them. Miroku's not that bad and he really does love her. She could do worse, and at least we know he helped keep her safe and somewhat entertained during their hunt for the shards.'_

"Miroku?"

"Yes?" he asked, turning to the boy. "What is it?"

"Go to her." he said, handing him the box. 

"Excuse me?" he said. 

"Go talk to her." Kohaku said again. "And take this with you to give her." He handed the monk the box and turned to walk away.

"What is it?" Miroku asked. 

"A set of combs that I was going to give her before I was killed." he said sadly. "They were something that she wanted a long time ago, and I was going to give them to her for her birthday. But I never got the chance." He smiled and nodded to the monk. "Maybe they'll help you out with her."

"Kohaku….I"

"Go. Miroku." he said. "You've got my whole family's consent to her. That's rare. Don't waste it."

"Even yours?" the monk asked carefully, knowing the boy was overly protective of his older sister. Kohaku nodded gravely, giving his acceptance to the monk.

"Even mine." Miroku watched as the boy was about to walk into the hut and a sudden question popped into his head. "Wait a minute." he called.

"What?"

"Why did you change your mind?" Miroku asked. Kohaku smiled and shook his head.

"I'm young, Miroku." he said with a grin. "Not blind." Miroku nodded and Kohaku walked into the hut, leaving him to go after Sango alone. 

As the evening stars began to shine in the sky, Sango let her boomerang fly one more time. It hit the bark of a nearby tree and came flying back at her. The crack of the bark made some of her pent up frustration leak out, but it was not nearly enough to calm her down. She caught the gigantic boomerang effortlessly and sent it sailing again. Each time she would send it flying, she would picture Miroku's face as the target. She was angry. And an angry Sango with an oversized boomerang was not a good combination.

When she had left her hut that evening, her thoughts were full of malicious intent towards the monk for putting her in a spot with her mother. Her mother wanted her to marry the monk, Sango did not want to share her life with someone she could not trust. She wanted someone who would love her, and only her. She caught the boomerang again as it rebounded off of a tree. She had been up to this all evening, ever since she had left the village, trying to work off some of the nervous, pent up energy she'd had inside of her. She let the weapon fly again, throwing it harder than ever before.

"Stupid Miroku." she muttered. "He's always doing this to me." She watched as the weapon put another knick in the tree bark, wishing it was some demon that would fight back in order to get her mind focused on something else besides the monk. "Always making me laugh and then doing something to make me hate him the next minute." She caught the boomerang one last time and let it fall to the ground as her tears began to spill over again and the adrenaline slowly left her bloodstream. "It isn't fair." she whispered through her tears. "Not even Kagome and Inuyasha have this many problems." She sat down at the base of a tree and hugged herself as she cried some more. "Why can't I be happy?"

Miroku came upon the angry girl and watched in fascination as she continuously launched the boomerang at random trees. Her face was a mix of hurt and determination. He could tell she was greatly upset by the argument with her mother, but watching her now made him forget everything, even his reason for being there. Sango was a strong woman, who held high moral values in her heart, but she could also be a strong advisary. And right now, she looked like some mythical war goddess on the rampage, at least in Miroku's eyes. Her unbound hair whipped from one side to the next, creating a dark halo around her face. She jumped with the agility of a trained warrior, and stayed completely focused on her task at hand. Which at the moment seemed to be to knock down as many trees as possible. What surprised the lecherous monk the most was when she caught the over sized boomerang and crumpled to the ground, crying and talking to herself. She had tried never to cry in front of him, or any of the rest of their group. In fact, the only time he had seen her quite this upset was when Kohaku had still been controlled by Naraku, and had no memories of his sister. He caught the last sob-filled question and decided it was time to make his presence known. 

"You can be, if you let yourself." came Miroku's calm voice. Sango looked up and wiped the tears from her eyes quickly, throwing a look of indifference on her face. There was Miroku, the root of most of her problems, standing at the end of the clearing in all his glory. She groaned and got up from the base of the tree. Before she could get her clothes dusted off, he was by her side wiping the tears away from her face.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, quietly. She was not really angry at him. After all, it was not his fault her mother was so stubborn and opinionated.

"I thought you might like some company." he answered. "I'm glad I came, because you do not need to cry anymore. What's wrong?" he asked. Sango looked up at him and nearly broke down into tears again. He was so nice to her and all she could think about was hurting him because of what her mother had said. Any time she was down about anything, he would find a way to get her mind off of it. It had always been like that, ever since she had met him. She would be upset or worried, and he would distract her from whatever it was, usually by getting her angry at him for groping her.

"My Mother." she said simply. Miroku smiled and nodded. 

"What did she do?"

"She thinks that it's time I was married and settled down." Sango said in disgust.

"And you don't want to?" he asked, hugging her gently.

"I want to," she said quietly. "But I don't ….. agree with her about certain things."

"Like?"

"Like who I'm going to marry." Sango said with a frown, pulling out of his embrace, and fixing her gaze firmly on the ground in front of her. "She's got everything planned out as if I don't have a mind of my own."  


"So who's the lucky guy?" Miroku asked with a sly smile.

"Need you ask?" she replied sarcastically. "You know as well as I do who it is."

"Sorry." he said. Sango nodded and turned to face the trees, a small smile on her lips as she thought it over.

"It seems as though you've captured the hearts of my family." she said stiffly. "All of them except Kohaku, that is." 

"Actually, young Kohaku is the one who sent me to come after you." Miroku said. 

"You're kidding." she said, finally looking back up at him. Miroku shook his head. 

"No, I am not." he answered. Sango shook her head and looked up to the sky.

"Well, with my family's backing, there isn't much I can say, is there?" she said sadly. Miroku walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Sango," he began. "I do not care if all of Japan was behind me, they can not make you do something you do not want to. If you did not voluntarily want to marry me, I would never force you, even with your family's insistence." Sango looked up at him and gave a weak smile. _'Kami, I can't stay mad at him.'_

"Thank you, Miroku." she said quietly.   
  
"It's not a problem, love." he said with a sad grin. " You know I love you, and I will wait for you as long as it takes." Sango looked at him and frowned.

"Miroku, don't wait around for me." she said. "I'm liable to have you hanging for the rest of your natural life." Miroku grinned and hugged her.

"Sorry," he said. "But if I can not have you now, I will wait until I can." Sango felt her carefully constructed walls around her heart come tumbling down. She looked at the man standing before her and almost started crying again. There was nothing but sincerity written on his face. His now healed hand reached out and pulled a strand of her hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. _ 'He actually means it.'_ she thought. _'He actually means what he is saying.' _ Before she could think of what she was doing, she flung herself into his arms and hugged the monk for all that she was worth.

"I...don't think ….you'll have to wait…….very long." she whispered into his robes. Miroku, caught off guard by her sudden change in disposition, caught the girl and wrapped his arms around her in a comforting manner. He only smiled at the girl as he heard what she mumbled to him. She was his, finally. After the years of toiling around Japan, he finally had the love of his life in his arms. He hugged her tighter to him, and she did not pull away. She was still crying when he pulled her away from him ten minutes later.

"Dry your tears, Sango." he said gently. "I have something for you." Sango, unaccustomed to receiving anything but a grope from the monk looked at him carefully.

"What is it, Miroku?" she asked cautiously. He pulled out the small, beaten box and presented her with it. 

"Something you should have had a long time ago." he said. Sango took the box and opened it carefully. Inside of the thin whispers of paper were two ivory hair combs with flowers carved on the edges. She took them out and held each one. The flower carvings were lacquered with an overlay of mother-of-peal. 

"Miroku, they're beautiful." she said breathlessly. "Where did you get them?" Even though Sango was a tomboy in every since of the word, she was still a woman at heart. And this gift of something so feminine made her feel like she was a real woman, not just someone doing what was considered a man's job. The monk smiled and took her hands. 

"You can thank Kohaku for procuring them." he said with a grin.

"Kohaku?" she asked, confused as to why her little brother would have something like this. "What's he got to do with this."

"He said he had bought these right before your village was destroyed." Miroku explained. "He was going to give them to you on your birthday, or something like that. But never got around to it. He gave them to me, to give to you ." Sango smiled and placed the combs back in the boxes. 

"They're beautiful." she said again. "Thank you." Miroku only smiled and wrapped his arm around her. 

"I think it is time we get back to the village." he said. "Your mother was awful angry when you left." Sango only grinned and rested her head on his shoulder.

"She's always mad at me for something." she said. "It's nothing new. I'm not a proper young lady, I'm not dressing like a lady of my age should, a lady should not be running around chasing demons in a leather outfit that leaves nothing to the imagination of the lecherous men in the world…blah, blah, blah. She's on me all the time about that, even before the village was destroyed." Miroku grinned.

"I like the outfit." he said. Sango blushed and kept on walking. "And it leaves plenty to the imagination. Besides, who ever called you a proper lady to begin with, I shall never know."

"Miroku!" she scolded him. He laughed and shook his head. "Well, at least my Mother proved that the lechers liked the suit. I was beginning to wonder if it wasn't tight enough to catch their attention." she teased.

"I'm not a lecher, anymore, Sango." he said suddenly, looking at the girl with love sparkling in his eyes. 

"Oh, really?" she asked.

"Um-hm." he said. 

"And what makes you think that?"

"Well, I have you know. So why would I worry about any other woman." Sango smiled and shook her head.

"You don't have me as well as you think, monk." she said.

"No, but I am getting there." he said with a grin. In a sudden, heady move, he stopped the demon exterminator and kissed her. Sango, not expecting the brash move, tried to resist. It did not do any good. Her feelings for the monk had changed so greatly in the last few months that she was almost willing him not to stop his assault on her mouth. Her eyes fluttered shut and as she took in what the monk was doing to her. When he finally let her go, she was blushing redder than Inuyasha's haoiri. Miroku gave his usual cocky grin and hugged her again. "Nope. I have not got you yet." he said. "But it will not be long."

Sango only shook her head, mostly to remove the stars that had formed in front of her eyes. She looked up at he handsome young man and smiled.

"You're going to be the death of me yet, Miroku." The monk grinned and the two of them walked back to the village in the beginning light of a waning moon.

**__**

A/N - Hey people. Hope you enjoyed this chappy. To be completely honest, I have no idea where it came from. I like Sango and Miroku, and well, I don't know where it came from, but I hope you enjoyed it. It just kind of wrote itself. I'm no good with the whole lovey-dovey scenes, so bare with me. The next one is better. I promise. Later.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer - It's not mine, never was.

A/N - Okay, I'm pretty sure you guys are sick of the lovey-dovey fluffiness. (I still don't know how I wrote that last chapter) Anyway, here we go, more with the story line. Later

Kouga waited until Kagome was wide awake the next morning before approaching the impending subject. She had slept through the night, Shippou right beside her. Using the jewel to heal him had drained her of her miko energy and it needed to replenish itself before she would waken. She had become an instant love to the rest of the pack after Keiko had told them how she had used her miko power to heal Kouga. The pack was impressed with the human's strength and it only made them love her even more. 

She had come out of the enclosure that morning, rubbing her eyes and yawning. Kouga, who was sitting in the back of the cave, looked up as she came out. Her hair was a mess and her clothes were rumpled, but he continued to watch her intently. Many of his pack greeted her and smiled, telling her how thankful they were for saving their leader. She would only smile and bow her head when they complemented her on her bravery. She greeted Keiko and Kuarasama good-morning before going outside with the little kitsune. He followed her with his eyes until Keiko met his gaze. The older demoness nodded her head and looked towards the entrance to the cave. He nodded, knowing what he had to do. He got up from the group of wolves and followed her outside, preparing for the inevitable fight he figured was about to commence.

Kagome had walked out of the cave with Shippou on her heals. She was still waking up from the long sleep, and she decided that a bath in the nearby river would help wake her up a little more. Since she had left her bag back in her time, she decided to just put the clothes she had back on. She never made it to the river though, as Kouga caught up with her in no time flat.

"Kagome! Kagome!" he called. The miko looked back as the prince of wolves caught up to her. When he was standing next to her, she smiled warmly at him.

"Feeling better?" she asked.

"Much better." he said. "Thank you, Kagome. Keiko told me what you done when I woke up. And I just wanted to know if there was anyway I could repay you." Kagome smiled and nodded. 

"Actually, there are a few things you can help me with." she said, looking intently at him. "Like telling me why I found a letter at the bottom of the well telling me that something was wrong with Inuyasha." Kouga frowned and nodded. She did not look mad at him, just a little upset. He looked down at the little kitsune and Shippou only shrugged.

"Now's as good a time as any to tell her." Shippou said sadly. Kagome looked down at the little kitsune and frowned. 

"What's going on, you two?" she asked. "I'm trying to be patient, buy you're pushing my limits." Kouga looked at her carefully and motioned for them to follow him. Kagome followed as he led them a little further from the cave. When they were far enough away, Kouga turned to face the girl.

"Kagome, before we tell you this, I want you to understand that I'm not doing this to win your favor. I just want you to know what's been happening." Kouga said. He took a seat on a nearby boulder and Kagome leaned up against a tree. Her heart had started to race, taking in what he was saying.

"I understand, Kouga." she said. "Now what's going on?" Kouga racked his brains, trying to find a decent place to start. 

"Kagome, how long has it been since he marked you?" he asked suddenly.

"What?" she asked, blushing a crimson red "I don't think that's any of your business." Kouga shook his head.

"Please, Kagome, just answer." he said. 

"A few days ago." she said. "No longer than a week."

"And did he mark you again before you left to go home?" he asked.   


"Yes." she said. "But what's that got to do with this?" Kouga looked at her and frowned, closing his eyes.

"That first mark never should have faded, Kagome. He shouldn't have had to mark you again." he said. "You know what it means if it does fade, don't you?" The girl nodded. 

"Are you telling me that Inuyasha's dead?" she asked, panicking. Shippou jumped down off of the tree limb he had climbed and stood in front of her. 

"Kagome, that baka isn't dead." he said. "He's still very much alive, for now." Kagome looked down at the kitsune. That only left one alternative.

"There's another that bares his marking." Kouga said solemnly, before she could say anything. "Another girl." Kagome looked over at him and down at Shippou. She could not believe what they were accusing him of!

"So, you're telling me that Inuyasha has marked another?" she asked, icy venom lacing her words. "I'm guessing it's Kikyou. Am I right?"

"Yes, Kagome." Kouga said. "Her scent was on him when I came to you the other day to thank you for bringing my pack members back."

"I don't believe you." Kagome said simply. "He loves me. Inuyasha won't betray me." 

"It's true, Kagome." Shippou said sadly, seeing the heartbreak in his surrogate mother's face. "I followed him that night before you left. When he brought you back to the hut and left you to sleep, he didn't sleep in the tree that night. He left to go to Kikyou. I know because I followed him." Kagome looked down at the kitsune, not believing what she was hearing.

"Shippou," she said, "how could you accuse him of that? After all he's done for you."

"He's done nothing for me." Shippou spat back. 

"He brought your family back with that wish." Kagome said harshly.

"He made that wish to bring back Kikyou." Shippou said. "Can't you see, Kagome? He wouldn't go back to your time, even though he knows the new moon is coming. He's never spent a new moon in this time since he met you, unless we were out hunting for shards. Now, he suddenly doesn't mind staying here?" She looked down at the ground and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I just won't….can't believe you." she told them. Kouga nodded, expecting nothing less of her. He knew she was not going to believe him right off hand. She looked at them, trying to make sense of the accusations. Her hand trailed up to her neck, searching for the bite mark. She ran her hand under the shoulder of her shirt, searching for it. 

It was not there. 

She looked over to Kouga, who was watching her intently.

"It's not there, is it?" he asked softly. Kagome looked at him, blinking rapidly to keep the water in her eyes at bay. She said nothing, but Kouga continued. "It won't stay as long as another bares it also, Kagome." 

"I still don't believe you." she said. "It may have just healed up." 

"Kagome, we can't make you believe us." Shippou said. "We know what we smelled on him. And we know who put that smell on him. And we know what we saw. I'm sorry Kagome, but Inuyasha hasn't been faithful to you." Kagome looked at the two youkais. Her faith in her lover, her mate, was faltering. Kouga would not look at her, and Shippou was nearly on the verge of tears. She leaned against the trunk of the tree and tried to pull in the tears that were slowly escaping down her face.

"I can't believe he would do this to me." she said. 

" I can show you." Kouga said. "I can take you to where they meet, if it will make you see we're telling the truth." Kagome looked at him and glared. She knew Kouga never did like Inuyasha. She also knew that he would go to almost any length to get under the hanyou's skin, especially if it concerned her.

"Fine." she answered stubbornly. "Take me to where they are." Kouga looked at her and frowned.

"Wait until nightfall." he said. "They won't meet in broad daylight. Besides, you were on your way to bathe, were you not?" Kagome nodded. He nodded in response and turned to leave. "I'll send Keiko with some extra clothing for you if you wish." 

"Whatever." Kagome answered. She was not going to let these accusations interfere with what she knew about her hanyou. She looked down at Shippou and frowned. "Shippou, why are you doing this? Inuyasha won't betray me."

"I'm sorry Kagome." he answered. "But I couldn't stand by and let him do this to you." He turned and went back towards the cave, leaving Kagome to go to the river and bathe. She found her way back to the warm water and slipped out of her clothes and into the water as Keiko emerged from the wooded area around her. 

"Lady Kagome." she said. "You may use these after you are finished." Kagome looked at the woman as she placed the clothing on the boulder, and nodded. The demoness was about to turn and go back when Kagome stopped her.

"Keiko?" 

"Yes, my Lady?" 

"When you mated with Kuarasama's father, did he mark you?" The old woman nodded and pulled back the neck of her clothing, exposing two small puncture wounds that had long ago turned into small scars.

"Yes, and they have never once faded." she said softly. Kagome nodded and turned her back to the woman.

"Thank you, Keiko." she mumbled.

"If there is anything else I might help you with, Lady, please feel free to ask me." Kagome nodded and continued bathing. As Keiko disappeared back into the woods, Kagome let her tears drop into the river and be washed away. 

She tried to tell herself that Inuyasha was not betraying her. But every time she came up with one rationalization, something knocked it over until finally, there was nothing left for her to argue against. _'I'll just have to see for myself if Kouga and Shippou are right.'_ she though. She climbed out of the water and used her shirt to dry off with before pulling on the clothes Keiko had brought. The clothing itself was basically skins sewn together. Two brown skins had been sewn together to form a skirt and another one was used to make a shirt that resembled a tank top. She pulled them on over her underclothes and gathered up her discarded clothing. She also found a wide strip of leather and used it to pull her hair back away from her face. 

She walked back to the cave and spent the rest of the day playing with the pups. The closer nighttime came, the more she dreaded it. She kept telling herself that Inuyasha would not betray her, but the logical part of her mind told her that Kouga and Shippou were telling her the truth. When Kouga walked up to her that night after they had eaten, she swallowed her pride and went with him. She would prove once and for all that Inuyasha was faithful to her and only her.

**__**

A/N - Hey everyone. How's it going. I know this chapter is short. I couldn't help it. The next one will be better, I promise. Remember to leave me a review. Bye, bye.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer - Not mine, never was.

Later that evening, in Sango's village….

Sango was just slipping into the hot springs for a bath when she heard someone come down to the bank. She went out deeper into the water so that her whole body was covered up. She had on a two piece bathing suit that Kagome had given her, but she still thought it did not cover enough. She looked back and shook her head, grinning the whole time. There was only one person who would dare to peek on her while she bathed.

"What are you doing down here, Miroku?" she questioned. The monk only smiled easily and sat on a nearby boulder. 

"Can a humble monk not take a walk by the bank of the springs in the evening sun, enjoying the beauty of natures creations?" he asked cheekily.

"A monk, yes." she said with a smile. "You, no." He grinned and shook his head.

"Come now, Sango." he said. "I am nothing but a modest monk."

"Right." she said, "And I'm the reincarnate of Naraku."

"I am in trouble then, am I not?" he asked with a smile. Sango smiled and moved closer towards the bank. She still kept herself covered, but when she got close enough to Miroku, she splashed him with the water and swam back into the center of the spring.

"Yes, I'd say you were in trouble." she smirked. Miroku wiped the water off of his face and smiled evilly at the girl. 

"Now, I think you are the one in trouble." he said. He pulled off his robes in one quick movement and jumped into the water after her. Sango, not expecting him to come in after her, quickly swam in the opposite direction and hid behind some boulders. She came out of the water and looked around. Miroku was no where in sight. She looked around the rock and scanned the area for any sign of the monk. 

"Where'd he go?" she whispered. She looked out from behind the boulder again, but when she felt a pair of hands grab her waist from behind, she knew where the monk was.

"Looking for me?" he asked. Sango put on a fake frown and turned around.

"Nope." she said. 

"I do not believe that." he said, pulling her to him. 

"Good. Because I didn't mean it." she whispered. Miroku smiled and kissed her.

"I did not think you did." he muttered. Sango nodded and laid her head on his chest. She felt his hands come to rest on the small of her back. He ran his hand up to where the bathing suit top tied in the back and frowned. 

"What's the matter?" Sango asked.

"You've been borrowing Kagome's clothes?" he asked with a grin. Sango blushed and shook her head.

"At least with this, no one got a free show when I bathed." she said. Miroku grinned and shook his head. "I wonder how Inuyasha and Kagome are doing?" she asked after a few minutes. Miroku shrugged his shoulders.

"I do not know." he answered. "Kagome was going home for a few days when we left. She is probably still in the future. As for Inuyasha, there is no telling about him."

"Hmm. Wherever they're at, I hope they're happy." she said, hugging the monk.

"Are you happy, Sango?" he asked her. Sango looked at him and nodded.

  
"Yes, Miroku." she said softly. "I'm very happy." The monk smiled and held her closer. He was slowing breaking down what was left of her walls. Soon, she would be his forever, and he was going to make sure he didn't screw it up between now and then. Little did either of them realize exactly what their other two friends were doing at the moment, or what their decisions would wind up and cost the whole group of them.

Back at Kouga's Cave

The sun was setting when Kagome and Kouga came out of the cave. Kouga said nothing to her as they walked away from the cave. He could smell defiance and fear on her. She was ready to defend what she thought was right, and he could sense that. Kagome was lost in her own thoughts again. When they were a decent ways from the cave, Kouga stopped her.

"It will be easier to go undetected if I carry you." he said quietly. He did not want her to take it personally or anything, but he could not mask her scent if she stayed fifteen feet away from him.

"Fine." she said, walking over to the wolf and folding her arms. Kouga nodded and gathered her up in his arms, taking off into the evening air. Kagome watched as the colors splayed across the sky slowly began to fade into the night sky. The stars were coming out and the sliver of light that was the moon was in sight. The whipping wind pulled her hair from its tie and it whipped in the wind, trailing out behind them like a black beacon. She closed her eyes and waited for them to land.

Meanwhile, Kouga was trying his best to keep his own temper in check. He had already picked up on the hanyou's scent, as well as the miko's. He looked down to where he held Kagome close to him. He did not want to see her so upset, but she needed to know. And if this was the only way she would believe them, then so be it. He went downwind of where he knew they would be, just incase his scent might trickle down. He set down inside a small clearing and let Kagome go. The girl was a little unsteady at first, but she soon regained her sense of balance. Kouga put his finger to his lips, signaling for her to keep from speaking. Taking her hand, he led her silently through the bushes until he was sure she could hear the voices on the other side of the bushes. He must have been right, because he saw Kagome's face go from unbelieving to angry to hurt to disappointed in about two seconds flat. 

"Are you ready?" he whispered. Kagome nodded and he took her up to the top of the cherry tree they were standing by. When he got her up there, he watched as she slowly looked down into the clearing, taking in exactly what she had feared……..

**__**

A/N - Okay. How's that one going? Hope you guys enjoyed.

Thank you guys.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer - It's not mine. It never was.

What have I done?

Kagome's breath stopped when she looked down from the tree top. Her mind went completely blank and she shook her head to make sure that she was not imagining the horrid sight that lay below her. On the grass covered ground lay Inuyasha, with Kikyou wrapped tightly in his arms. His silver white hair was splayed across the girl's chest, covering her body from anyone else's eyes. It was obvious enough to anyone who seen them as to what they had been doing, since they were both breathing hard and there were beads of sweat on the parts of their bodies that were exposed to the night air.

A million questions flooded through Kagome's head in rapid succession. Pictures of their travels and of her and Inuyasha's first time together were mingled in with the confused thoughts. She unconsciously put her hand at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, searching for the bite marks that were not there. Her thoughts were a mess, and the most vivid of her memories was when the hanyou had looked in her eyes and told her that she was his now, forever and always. She had been ecstatic when he had marked her, now she felt dirty and violated. Kagome weakly reached out and grabbed a hold of the trunk of the tree she and Kouga were in as her stomach gave one horrid lurch.

"Oh, Kami, what have I done?" she whispered as salty tears began to form in her chocolate brown eyes. She hung her head in sadness and tried to fend off the impending tears. However, Kikyou's lithe voice drifted up to her ears.

"I am glad you came back to me again." she purred. Kagome looked back down and watched as the girl snuggled up to Inuyasha. "I love you so much, Inuyasha."

"I love you too, Kikyou." the hanyou said to her. "I've waited so long to be with you again." There was silence for a while as the two lovers kissed with a passionate abandon. Kagome looked closely at Kikyou's neck. There, on her left shoulder where her neck and shoulder met, was a small bite mark that had scarred over. The same one that had healed only hours earlier that Kagome had.

"Inuyasha?" the girl asked suddenly when they had stopped. "What are you going to do about that wench Kagome? Now that I've got you back, I'm not willing to share."

"Greedy little thing aren't you?" the hanyou asked playfully, kissing the girl on her neck, right on the scar. Kagome's breath caught again and she looked behind her were Kouga was crouched down on a branch, watching the scene play out in front of him, a look of utter loathing and disgust on his face.

"You're mine, Inuyasha. No one else is going to take you from me. Especially not some reincarnated wench from the future." Kikyou said silkily, playing with his hair.

"I'll take care of her soon, my love. Don't worry. She won't bother us any longer. That bitch will pay for what she's done to you."

__

'What!?' Kagome thought angrily. _'What I done to HER? What is he talking about?! It was HER that tried to kill ME!'_  


"Make her pay dearly for keeping us apart for so long, Inuyasha. It's because of her that it's been so long for me to take my real form again." Kikyou said sweetly. Kagome watched as her lover, well ex-lover now, spooned himself around the girl and began murmuring something to her. She retched her eyes away from the two and silently turned back to Kouga.

The wolf-demon's eyes were full of compassion and caring when he turned to her. He looked at her and shook his head sadly. He had not really wanted to see her hurt, but he also had not wanted her to be led on by that two-timing hanyou. He glanced back down to the ground as the sounds of Inuyasha's and Kikyou's love making increased.

"Kouga?" Kagome asked meekly. "Will you please take me away from here? I…..I've…..I've seen enough." The wolf demon nodded and opened his arms in a friendly gesture. Kagome walked into the embrace and felt herself fly upwards into the night time sky. Once she was away from the tree, she broke down into sobs. The cool night air made her shiver and Kouga clutched the girl to his chest and flew rapidly to a nearby cave he knew of that was uninhibited. He had found it a few months ago and put some supplies in it in case he ever wanted to get away from his pack. As they touched down right outside the cave, he carried Kagome inside the entrance and gently set her on some furs that he kept stored there for emergencies. If this did not constitute an emergency, he did not know what did.

He sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms, trying to stop the flow of tears and hold off the shivers that ran through her body. He glanced out of the entrance to the cave and focused his eyes on the stars above him. _'I'll kill that bastard hanyou for doing this to her! He has the nerve the mark her as his mate, then run off with another female. How could he defile the demon world like this? Has he no pride, no conscious? That bastard has it coming for hurting Kagome like this.'_ he though angrily. Kagome was still sobbing and he held her tighter.

"Kagome," he whispered quietly. "I'm sorry. I……I should not have showed you." Kagome shifted and looked up into the piercing blue eyes of the wolf prince.

"No…no...Kouga." she stammered. "I'm glad……you did. I just never thought he would betray me like this." her hand once again raised up to where the scar was supposed to be on her shoulder. It felt like Inuyasha had ripped out her heart and used Tetsusaiga to cut it up into little bitty pieces. "He….he told…he told me that he……that he loved me." She broke down into tears and shook her head. She had loved him with her whole being, heart, soul, and body. Now, she was paying the ultimate price. "I didn't know he had this kind of evil in him." She looked to the side and sniffled. "I thought he loved me." Once again, she broke down into tears and Kouga held her, trying to calm her down. He held her until the sobs stopped and she was on the verge of sleeping.

"Kagome?" he asked gently. "Are you asleep?" She moved again and put her head on his shoulder.

"Not yet." she answered, pulling out of his embrace slowly and getting to her feet. "Kouga, I need to get back to the well, so I can go home." She looked tired and broken. Her eyes were red and bloodshot and her shoulders were sagging. The look of dejection on her face made Kouga's temper rise again. He wanted his proud Kagome back. The one who always had a smile on her face, the one who could put the mutt in the ground with the simple utterance of a word, the one who he had fallen in love with long ago. 

"Um, Kagome," he said gently. "It's already after midnight. Why don't you stay here tonight, and I'll take you back in the morning."

"I don't think that is such a good idea." she said quietly, walking towards the entrance. Kouga stood up and followed her.

"Kagome, please." he begged. "You're worn out. Just stay here tonight and I'll take you back in the morning. It's not safe for you to travel tonight, and I don't want you by yourself now. You need someone with you now."

"I need to go now, Kouga." she said insistently. "I'm supposed to be back in the morning at my house. My family will get worried if I'm late. Besides, Inuyasha will be back there in the morning. He was supposed to come to my house the day of the new moon. If he sees you there, there's going to be trouble. And I don't need that right now. " Kouga looked at the girl, startled that she seemed ready to let the hanyou come back.

"Are you telling me that you're willing to go back to him after what he's done? After what you saw this evening?!" Kouga asked, anger and disbelief clouding his words. Kagome shook her head and frowned.

"I won't be coming back to anyone, Kouga." she said sadly. "In fact, I won't be coming back to feudal Japan, period."

"What?" he asked, looking at her with big eyes and a frown. "What are you talking about, Kagome?"

"I'm sealing the well the next time I go home." she said quietly. Kouga stood there in complete shock. He did not like the way she was talking now.

"Kagome, please, don't do that." he pleaded. "Don't leave your other friends here. They love you. If you seal the well, you'll never be able to see them again." Kagome only shook her head as the tears began again.

"I can't face them again, Kouga." she said. "I can't face Inuyasha after what I just saw!"

"What about Sango, and Miroku?" He asked. "You're just going to leave them without saying good-bye?"

"Now that everything's back to normal, I have a feeling they'll be too wrapped up in each other to worry about me." Kouga shook his head, trying to talk her out of something so ridiculous. This definitely was not something he had planned on her doing.

"What about the kitsune pup?" he tried again. Kagome frowned, wiping away the tears that were rolling down her face. A quick picture of the old man she had seen when she made the wish on the Shikon popped into her head, telling her to take care of the pup. She shook her head.

"Shippou will be with his family." she answered. "He doesn't need me anymore, either."

"What about the old miko, Kaede?' he pressed.

"Kikyou and Kaede are sisters, Kouga." Kagome said sullenly. "I don't see Kaede going against her only living relative because of me."

"Kagome, please….."

"Kouga, I'm not needed here anymore." she said sadly. "Obviously I'm not wanted here either, anymore."

"He's a fool, Kagome." Kouga said suddenly. "You know that." Kagome gave him a half-hearted smile and nodded. 

"He made his choice, and now I have to live with the rejection, knowing that it was never me he really loved." Kagome said sadly. "I'll get over it… eventually." She walked out of the cave, headed towards the well. Kouga shook his head and ran after her. She was talking nonsense, and he had to stop her from sealing the well for good. He loved the girl, and was not willing to loose her just because Inuyasha had treated her like an ass. He walked to her quickly and stopped in front of her, looking down into her hurt filled eyes.

"Kagome, please. I don't want you to go." he said quietly. "If you're going to seal the well off and leave us all, at least stay her tonight so you'll have your strength back in the morning." Kagome hung her head in exhaustion. He was right; all the crying she had done all evening had tired her out tremendously. "Please, Kagome." he pressed. "We'll get there early enough so that we'll miss him. I promise." Kagome hung her head in defeat and nodded. He had a point. If she tried to seal it off in this state, she could wind up killing herself because her concentration level was off.

"You're right, Kouga." she sniffled, hugging herself against the slight breeze that had blown up. "I won't be able to work if I'm in this shape."

"Good." he said. "You can stay here tonight."

  
"Kouga, I don't thing this is a very good idea." Kagome said, looking at the young man with a guarded expression. He looked at her and frowned, catching onto what she was thinking.

"Hey, I'm not like Inuyasha." he said quickly. "I'm not going to lay a hand on you. I just want to make sure that you will be okay until tomorrow. Hell, if you're going to seal the well off, at lest let me clear my conscience by making sure you're okay tonight. Especially if I'm never going to see you again!" Kagome looked away as more tears threatened to escape from her eyes. Kouga swept her up into his arms and brought her back to the cave. He deposited her on the furs and covered her up. He turned to go to the other side of the cave to start a fire.

"Kouga, can I ask you something?" Kagome whispered. He turned around and looked at her, nodding.

"Go ahead, Kagome." he said.

"Why did he do it? What did I do to make him turn from me? She asked quietly. Kouga turned around and shook his head. He could not give her an answer for that. To mark a mate, and then leave her was a great dishonor in the demon world. He had no idea why Inuyasha had betrayed her. She was not a weakling, like many human females. All the years of searching for the shards had honed her strength and endurance. She was not dumb, as she had healed many people with her gentle touch. This even included the members of his own pack. She was not mean. In fact, she always tried to find the best in people around her. And she definitely was not ugly. To him, she was a beautiful woman who deserved better than to be treated like dirt.

"I don't know." he said honestly. "I don't know why he would do this to you, Kagome." _'But I swear on my life, and every one of my pack, that he will pay for what he's done to you.'_ he thought. Kagome just nodded and slipped down into the furs. Kouga piled up some more furs and banked the fire. He got into the makeshift bed and listened to the sound of her breathing, meanwhile thinking of some very painful ways to kill the hanyou.

After an hour or so, he heard her sit up in the covers and call out to him.

"Kouga?" she asked timidly. "Are you still up?"

"Yes, Lady Kagome. I am" he said. "Is something the matter?" He got up and walked over to the girl and sat down next to her.

"I can't sleep." she said quietly. " I know this sounds horrid, especially after what just happened, but...will you….will you sleep next to me, please." she asked. "I don't want to be by myself." Kouga nodded and laid down net to her, pillowing her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, Kouga." she murmured sleepily. "Thank you for understanding."

  
"Sleep, Lady." he whispered quietly. "Don't worry about anything else right now. Just sleep." He felt her body slowly relax and the smooth, even sounds of her breathing were soon audible. She was asleep. Kouga wrapped his arm around the girl and pulled her to him.   


"I swear to you Kagome," he pledged quietly. "that disgusting hanyou will pay for what he's done to you. You're a good woman, and someone like him doesn't deserve you." She murmured something unintelligible and snuggled closer to him. He pulled her tightly to him, and soon joined her in the lands of sleep.

**__**

A/N - How'd I do? Were you crying by the end? Did I get the point across? Like I said, I'm no good with this high emotional stuff. And for those of you that think she's immediately going to jump in the sack with Kouga, you're wrong. And she's not acting like some slut when she asked him to sleep next to her. She's just lonely and scared, and having someone near her that she trusts only makes her feel better. Have an open mind here people. Thanks, later.

Remember to review. 


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer - It's not mine. Even though I wish it was.

The next morning, as the sliver of the moon set into the western lands and the night's stars began to fade, Kagome awoke in the secure embrace of the wolf prince. She had slept fitfully, never actually succumbing to the tempting void of sleep. She yawned and opened her eyes to look around. It was still dark outside and the dying embers of the banked fire cast odd shadows onto the walls of the cave. She craned her head and looked through the opening of the cave. The sky was awash with the mirage of pinks, oranges, and yellows as the sun began its ascent into the morning sky. 

She watched through the entrance as the sun rose higher into the morning sky. Beside her, Kouga was beginning to stir. She turned over and tried to give him more room on the sleeping furs, but gasped when he unconsciously pulled her closer to him. He started mumbling and Kagome strained to hear what he was saying.

"Baka….hanyou….hurt….miko…kill…..dog…Kagome." he mumbled. Kagome shook her head. Apparently, even Kouga's dreams had been plagued by Inuyasha. She felt his grip on her tighten once again and she squirmed as the hold became painful. She tried to pull his arm away from her, but as soon as she touched his arm, Kouga's eyes shot open. _'So much for not waking him up.'_ she thought dryly.

"Lady Kagome?" he asked quietly, loosening his death grip on her waist. "Are you awake?"

"Yes, I'm up, Kouga." she said, staring into the morning light.

"Are you feeling any better?" he asked cautiously.

"I'll tell you when I get fully awake." she said with a grin. She climbed out of the make-shift bed and stretched into the cooler morning air. Kouga grimaced when she left his side. He watched her stretch as the morning sunlight streamed in through the opening.

The light cast an ethereal glow around her, making her appear to be an angel from heaven. He had to fight his urge to jump up and bring her closer to him once again. She still wore the clothing Keiko had lent her, and that made him even happier. In his opinion, the skins that had been used to make the clothing made her look like some woodland goddess.

He smiled when his sensitive ears caught a low rumbling sound. He seen Kagome put her hand on her abdomen and frown.

"Hungry, Kagome?" he asked teasingly, nodding towards her stomach.

"Yeah, a little." she said sheepishly. "I haven't eaten much since yesterday and I think it's starting to catch up with me." Kouga smiled. He had noticed that she hadn't eaten much before they had left the cave, but refrained from pointing it out.

"How about I go catch us something for breakfast?" he asked. Kagome's stomach growled again and she blushed. "I'll take that as a 'yes'" he said with a grin.

"Don't forget, Kouga." she said quietly. "I need to be back to the well early." He smiled and walked to the entrance.

"We'll have time." he said. "It is still early morning yet." Kagome grinned and he left the cave. He took off into the air and frowned._ 'But my first priority at the moment is to find out where that bastard hanyou is.'_

As Kouga flew off, Kagome walked out of the cave and looked around. She smiled in recognition, remembering that she and the others had camped nearby a few weeks ago. It was a point that was about halfway between Kaede's village and Kouga's main cave.

"Might as well do something constructive." she said to no one in particular. She grabbed a small container near the entrance and walked East of the cave to where a small natural spring was running. As she walked, her mind drifted to her friends.

'I can't seal the well.' she thought. _'Even though he done this to me, Sango and the others have always stuck by me. I don't want to leave them.'_ She put the container on her shoulder and began to walk back to the cave after filling it with some fresh water. _'But if I don't seal it, Inuyasha will just come after me and make things worse.' _She shook her head and sighed. _ 'Oh, Kami, what am I going to do?' _ It was still early and she was sure the hanyou was still peacefully sleeping. _'Humph! Glad he is!'_ she thought bitterly.

Meanwhile, Kouga was flying over the forest, searching for Inuyasha. He flew over the spot were the tryst had taken place the night before and let out a growl

He could still smell them.

He settled silently into the same tree as he and Kagome had been in the night before and waited. About ten minutes later, Inuyasha and Kikyou emerged from the surrounding tree. They were hand in hand and Kouga noticed that their hair was hanging limply down their backs. _'Must have just came from the spring.'_ he thought. He listened carefully to what they were saying, trying to find out what the hanyou's plans were.

"… don't want you to go back to her." Kikyou said with a frown. "You said you wouldn't leave me again, Inuyasha." Inuyasha took the girl in his arms and hugged her.

"This is the last time, love." he said soothingly. "If I don't show up, she will think something is wrong."

"But why can't you stay here, with me?" the miko asked again. "All that girl does is push us apart." she said, tears forming in her eyes. 

"Hush, Kikyou." he said gently. "Kagome won't be coming back to this era after tonight. I'm making sure of that."

"What are you going to do to keep her away?" Kikyou asked. "You don't have the power to seal the well." Inuyasha smirked and kissed the miko.

"I won't have to seal the well to keep her away from us." he said. "When I get finished, she'll be to scared to come back." he pushed her limp hair out of her face and looked down at her. Kikyou smiled in agreement. 

"Do whatever you have to." she said softly. "Just get rid of her." 

  
"Don't worry, love." Inuyasha said. "She won't be back." Kouga couldn't believe his ears. It sounded like the stupid hanyou was about to attempt murder._ 'Then again, he threatened Shippou's family, so I wouldn't put it past him.'_ He growled at the hanyou and tried to leave as inconspicuously as he had come. Unfortunately, his anger had clouded his mind and he rustled the leaves on the branches. He looked quickly towards the hanyou and shook his head.

Inuyasha had quickly taken a battle stance, placing himself in between Kikyou and the tree. The hanyou sniffed the air and frowned, letting a growl go.

"Kouga!" he yelled as the smell became recognizable. "Show your face. I know you're here. I can smell your stench all over the place." Kouga frowned and shook his head. He'd forgotten to mask his scent from the half-youkai and he'd been caught. "Get out here Kouga! Or have you lost your nerve!!??" Kouga growled and dropped down out of the tree and faced the half dog demon.

"Dogface." he said coolly, masking his obvious hatred for the demon. "What are you doing here?" He leaned up against the tree and smirked. "Shouldn't you be back in Kaede's village, doing something constructive?"

"What I'm doing here is absolutely none…of...your…business." the hanyou said slowly, sniffing the air. Kouga frowned, remembering that Kagome's scent was covering him at the moment. _'Shit, how much worse can this get?'_ he thought. 

"You know what, dogface," he said simply. "For once, you're right. I don't want to know what you and your sorry excuse for a mate have been doing. So, I'll be seeing you around." He turned to leave and get away before the stupid half youkai could put two and two together.

WHACK!!

Kouga spun around and found Inuyasha's sword about two millimeters from his own face, embedded into the bark of the tree. He looked over at the dog-demon and frowned.

"Got a problem, dog turd?" he asked cockily.

"You smell like Kagome." he stated in a deadly whisper. "Where is she? But more importantly, what's she doing with YOU?!!" Kouga shook his head and frowned.

"Aren't you a little preoccupied at the moment?" Kouga retorted. "I think the miko bitch is getting a little lonely over there without you being within rutting range of her." Inuyasha growled and pulled the sword out of the tree. He glanced back at Kikyou, who was watching the wolf demon with a piercing, ice cold glare. 

"Watch your mouth, wimpy wolf." Inuyasha growled. He looked back at Kikyou and jerked his head into the woods. "Kikyou, go into the forest and wait for me. I've got some business to take care of right now."

"But, Inuyasha…"

"Now, Kikyou. Go!" he barked. The girl glared at the wolf demon and shook her head. She turned around and walked into the forest. When she was safely out of sight, Inuyasha turned on the wolf again. "Where is she, wolf?"

"Uh, Kikyou just left, dog-turd." he said sarcastically. "Want me to go get her?" Inuyasha growled and made for the youkai. Kouga dodged the halfhearted attack and stepped to the side.

"Where's Kagome?" he barked again.

"How should I know?" Kouga said through clenched teeth. "I haven't seen her since that evening I came to thank her for bringing the pack back."

"You lie!" Inuyasha shouted. He unsheathed Tetsusaiga once again and swung the blade in a wide arc towards the wolf prince. "HER SMELL IS ALL OVER YOU!!!!! WHERE IS SHE??!!!!" Kouga got out of the angry hanyou's way. 

"I haven't seen the girl." Kouga stated simply. "If anyone should know where she's at, I figured you would. However, it seems as though you've been a bit preoccupied with the dead miko bitch to pay much attention." Inuyasha growled at the mention of Kikyou and pulled the sword into a defensive position. 

"Leave Kikyou out of this." he said fiercely. "She's got nothing to do with this."

"I'm afraid Kikyou has everything to do with this." Kouga said pointedly. 

"What?"

"Nothing, dog turd." Kouga answered quickly. He glared at the hanyou and lifted himself up into the air. "I'll be catching you later, dog face." Inuyasha watched as the wolf prince took off into the sky. He sheathed the sword and smelled the air carefully. Kagome's scent was still apparent. He growled and quickly decided to make it to Kagome's time before night fall. He wanted to find out what was going on. He went in search of Kikyou quickly, ready to tell her the change in his plans.

Kouga flew as fast as he possibly could back to the cave where he had left Kagome. He landed down beside her and quickly swept her up into his arms and took off again. Kagome shook her head as the change in altitude made her dizzy.

"Kouga! Wha…What's going on? What's wrong?" she asked, shaking her head.

"Dog-face caught me in the forest." he said through clenched teeth.

"Oh, no." Kagome said, realizing what the hanyou had not.

"He smelled you on me, and I'll bet he's on his way back to the well right now to see if you're home."

"Kouga." she said quickly. "We've got to get back to the well before he does." Kouga nodded, but it suddenly hit him as to why Kagome was in such of a hurry to get back to her time. He continued to fly as fast as he could until he reached the well. He sniffed the air and grinned. They had beat the hanyou here. He sat Kagome down and frowned.

"Is this good-bye, Kagome?" he asked sullenly as the girl he loved pulled away from him once more. Kagome smiled softly and shook her head.

"No, Kouga." she said, hugging him. "It's not good-bye. I will be back soon. There are just some things that I need to take care of concerning Inuyasha."

"When will you be coming back?" he asked, looking at her with eager eyes. Kagome sighed and looked back towards the cave they had left.

"Look for me in two weeks." she said. "I'll be back two weeks from tonight." The wolf prince nodded and hugged the miko back. He really did not want her to go, but….. She had to do what she had to do.

"Watch out for that bastard hanyou tonight." he said gently. Kagome smiled and shook her head.

"He won't be coming to me." she said. "I'm going to seal the well so he can't get through to me."

"But…."

"But I'll be able to get back through." she said. "I'm not a miko for nothing, after all. If you need anything between now and the time I get back, drop me a note in the well like you did before. I'll be sure to check the well house every day or so." Kouga nodded and watched as she walked up to the edge.

"Take care, Lady Kagome." he said. His ears perked up and he snarled. 

The hanyou was coming. 

"Hurry, Lady." he said. "The hanyou is coming." Kagome nodded and waved goodbye to the wolf prince. She smiled and jumped into the well. Kouga watched her disappear into the darkness and sighed. _'She will come back.'_ he thought. _'She will come back to me.'_ He caught the angry scent of Inuyasha again and masked his smell around the well before disappearing into a cloud of dust. _'Stupid hanyou doesn't know what he's screwed up!'_ he thought angrily as he let the wind carry him away from the well.

As Kagome fell through the well, the familiar blue lights began to engulf her body and her senses. She was floating in the midst of the stars, waiting for her trip to be over with. Instead of relaxing and waiting for the trip to end, she focused her energy on one primary thought. 

'Keeper of Time, I, Kagome Higurashi, Keeper of the Shikon no Tama, beg you to forbid the hanyou Inuyasha to transverse between our times as before. He has disgraced the name of human and demon alike. I beg of you, forbid him passage through your portals. 

She opened her eyes and stared, the normal blue that had surrounded her had turned to a dark pink power. The colors began to swirl around her and pulsate with the familiar power of the Shikon no Tama. She felt her head begin to ache and something begin to pierce its way through to her conscience. Suddenly, her mind was clouded with the sight of the same old man that had warned her against the wish on the jewel. She blinked and looked at the old man with a shocked expression on her face. The old man only turned to her and nodded gravely.

__

Mistress of the Jewel, I will grant your wish. The hanyou Inuyasha will never again pass through the well. He has disgraced and dishonored his name, and yours also. He will not pass through my realms again. Kagome smiled. 

"Thank you, Keeper." she said in a warm voice. The man bowed his head and disappeared from sight. She relaxed her body and waited for the feeling of home to envelope her as she passed into the modern era.

Inuyasha stopped right in front of the Bone Eater's well. He sniffed the air and frowned. Kagome's scent was strong, like she had just left. He searched around the well for a few moments before he decided to jump in and see if the miko was actually home, or if she had been making unscheduled trips back to the Warring States. He jumped into the well, waiting for the blue lights of the portal to swallow him up. 

He looked around, waiting to see the soft blue lights that guided him to the other side. Cool air whizzed by him, and he could smell damp earth below him. 

Something was not right.

And as soon as his face come in contact with the hard ground at the bottom of the well, he figured out what it was.

He could not get through the well to the modern era……or Kagome.

**__**

A/N - Hello again everyone. How's ya'll doing? How'd the chapter go? Leave me a review telling me what I messed up and I'll give you a lollipop. Okay, I'm gone now. I've got another wonderful class to go to. Later, peeps.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer - It's not mine. It never was, no matter what I keep telling myself.

Inuyasha shook his head and looked at the wooden walls that surrounded him. He was sitting back in the hut at Kaede's village, simmering in anger at not being able to get through the well to Kagome. _'I just don't understand.'_ he thought. _'Kagome wasn't supposed to be back for another week or so. But Kouga's carrying her scent all over him as if she had spent the night with him. Now, all of a sudden, I can't get through the well.' _ He stood up and walked to the front of the hut, opening the door and taking a breath of fresh air. _'What's going on?'_

"Something's not right." he said solemnly. "I've got to get to Kagome." He walked out of the door and ran into Kaede. She had a basket of herbs on her arm and a sad look on her face. She noticed the pensive look on the hanyou's face and stopped him.

"Is something the matter, child?" she asked. Inuyasha looked at the old woman and glared.

"It's nothing to do with you, old woman." he said. Kaede held her head up and looked at the hanyou carefully. He'd been hiding, and she had found out why only days before. He made to walk away, but he froze when he heard Kaede's icy words. 

"Aye, it has nothing to do with me. But it has everything to do with my sister." she said. Inuyasha turned around to face the old woman. He couldn't hide the shock on his face, and Kaede knew that she had hit a nerve. She set the heavy basket down on the ground and dusted her hands on her pants. Kouga had come to her a few days ago, asking questions that she hadn't known how to answer. However, after he had left, she had put the obvious facts together and understood what had troubled the wolf demon so much. She faced the hanyou with a determined look in her eyes. 

"Shut up, old woman! You don't know what you're talking about!" he ordered. Kaede looked at the young demon and frowned. 

"I will tell you nothing, child." she said slowly. "Except that you've made a very grave mistake when you chose Kikyou over Kagome."

"I haven't done such a thing!" he shouted. Kaede gave a wry grin and nodded in the direction of the well. "And how can you chose Kagome over your own family?!" 

"My sister died many years ago, child." she said. "That shell that walks the earth now is not my sister. And if you haven't made your choice, then why can't you get through the well to Kagome?" she asked. Inuyasha stared at the woman in disbelief. _'How did she know?'_ he thought to himself. When the aged miko got no answers, she picked up her basket and continued on towards her hut. Inuyasha watched her in silence. 

"What have I done?" he asked out loud. He walked back to the well and looked down at the murkiness that enveloped the whole thing. "Kagome, what have I done….."

As the week ended, and the next began, Inuyasha began to loose hope of seeing Kagome again. Any time he was not with Kikyou, he was brooding by the well in the hopes of hearing Kagome come out. His double life was not overlooked, though. Miroku and Sango had come to visit a few days before Kagome was due back, and they had brought Shippou with them also. What they found was not something that anyone would have wanted to meet.

As soon as the exterminator, monk, and kitsune entered into the village, they sensed that something was astir. They had made their way to Kaede's only to find it tore into pieces. Kaede's herbs were all over the floor, the hearth was cold, and the blankets they had used to sleep on were flung in heaps all over the place. 

As soon as Shippou went into the house, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He started to snarl and Sango looked down at the little kitsune with a smile on her face.

"Shippou?" she asked, alarmed at the change in the boy. "What's going on?"

"Inuyasha is in the back of the hut with Kaede." he said. "And he's in demon form." Miroku looked at the two of them and quickly ran to the farthest room. He pushed aside the entrance and stared at the sight before him. 

There was blood all over the place. Inuyasha was standing over Kaede's still body, the life liquid spilling off of his claws. His eyes were blood red and his feral gaze settled on the three newcomers. He snarled and hunched back on his feet, taking a defensive posture in front of the still form of the old miko. Sango pushed her way into the room and stood beside Miroku, her eyes wide with shock.

"Inuyasha." she said violently. "What are you doing?" She made to go by the fallen form of the old woman, but Inuyasha jumped at her and snarled. "What's happened to Kaede?"

"The old woman got in my way." he stated, eyeing to two humans. "I wanted to know how to get to Kagome, and she wouldn't tell me how. Said something about Kagome having her reasons for not wanting to see me. So I beat it out of her." Miroku shook his head in confusion.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong with you?" he asked. "You've never done this before?"

"I want the girl." he said. " I want her back." Sango looked over at him and frowned.

"Then go through the well to her, Inuyasha." she said. "You didn't have to beat Kaede to a bloody pulp to find out how to get to her." Shippou looked up at the half demon and gave a little smirk.

"He can't go through the well." Shippou said with an evil glint. "Can you, Inuyasha? You can't get through to the other side now." Sango and Miroku looked at the little kitsune in complete confusion. Inuyasha stared at the little youkai and snarled.

"You know how to get through, don't you brat?" he asked, lunging at the little kitsune. He tried to grab Shippou's tail, but only grasp thin air. The little fox demon used his speed to avoid the mad hanyou. "Come here, you little brat!" Miroku and Sango ran to Kaede's aide while Shippou kept the angry hanyou busy. 

"Kaede? Kaede? Can you hear me?" Sango asked, kneeling down beside the old woman. 

"She's out cold." Miroku said, blotting some of the blood with the hem of his robes. He glanced up right about the time Inuyasha cornered Shippou on the other side of the room.

"YOU STUPID BAKA!!!" Shippou screamed. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO KAGOME? DO YOU KNOW WHAT SEEING YOU WITH THAT MIKO BITCH HAS DONE TO HER?"

"Shut up!!" the hanyou screamed, lunging once again at the kitsune. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"I KNOW THAT YOU BETRAYED KAGOME TO BE WITH THAT WENCH KIKYOU!!!! NOW YOU'VE ALMOST KILLED YOUR LOVER'S SISTER BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET THROUGH THE WELL TO THE ONE GOOD THING YOU HAD IN YOUR LIFE!!! KAGOME'S SEALED YOU FROM THE WELL BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO HER!!!!" 

"You knew about this." the demon snarled, slashing at the nearly helpless kitsune. "You knew she was going to do this!!" Inuyasha's eyes were like the brimstone in Hell. "YOU TOLD HER EVEN AFTER I THREATENED TO KILL YOU!!!!" He swiped at the kitsune, catching Shippou on the side of the face and down his chest. 

"What's going on here?" Sango yelled. "What are you talking about, Shippou?" 

Miroku stared at Inuyasha in disgust as he attacked the little demon. This was not the same hanyou they had traveled with.

"Miroku!" Sango said. "We've got to do something! He's going to kill Shippou!" Miroku stood up and pulled some wards out of his pockets. 

"I am glad I did not get rid of these." he said with a frown. "I just never thought I'd be using them on Inuyasha." 

"Paper wards are not going to hold him!" Sango said fervently. "You're crazy Miroku! He's going to kill all of us!!" Miroku shook his head and ran over to the demonic hanyou, throwing the wards on his body. 

Inuyasha froze in place. His eyes were burning with Hell's fire. He glared at the monk and tried to strike out, only to find that the wards were holding. Inuyasha growled and glared at the human who dared to contain him. Miroku glared at the hanyou and picked up the kitsune from the floor. He looked over at Inuyasha with loathing in his eyes.

"Look, I don't know what's going on here," Miroku said with a steely look towards the hanyou. "But whatever it is, you need to get a hold of yourself." Sango agreed with him and began to look at the wounds more closely.

"How bad is it?"   


"We need to get these wounds taken care of." Miroku said calmly. "Even with Shippou's healing factor, these needed to be taken care of, and quickly." Sango nodded and turned back to the still form of Kaede. She put her hand at the throat of the old woman and sighed. 

There was a pulse. It was weak, but it was there none the less. She looked up at Miroku and frowned. 

"We need Kagome here." she said frantically. "She's a better healer than I am. I don't know how to treat some of these gashes. They're too deep." Miroku nodded and helped the girl to pull Kaede's unresponsive body onto a futon near by. 

"You can't get to her." Inuyasha laughed evilly. The wards had only stopped his body from moving, but he could still talk "Only I can go through the well. The old miko will die, and so will that brat kitsune!" Sango looked at the hanyou and shook her head. Something was definitely wrong with this. She glanced up at Miroku and frowned.

"He is right." she said. "If something is preventing Inuyasha from getting through the well, there is nothing we can do. The rest of us can not get through."

"Get…Kouga…." Shippou said weakly. Miroku looked down at the little kitsune and frowned. 

  
"What has Kouga got to do with this?" the monk asked.

"He knows how to get Kagome back here." Shippou said. Inuyasha growled and struggled against the wards.

"That bastard wolf won't put his claws on her!" he snarled. "I'll kill him if he does!!" Shippou looked over to the contained hanyou and smirked.

"You should have thought about that before running to Kikyou." he said. Inuyasha growled and Shippou only shook his head before passing out from the progressive blood loss. Miroku laid the little boy's body next to Kaede's and looked over at Sango. 

"Sango, take Kirara and go to Kouga's cave." he said. "We need Kagome back here, now." Sango nodded and stood up. Miroku walked out to the outside of the hut with her and she turned to him with tears in her eyes.

"Miroku, what happened?" she asked. "I've never seen Inuyasha like this. And why would Kagome seal the well?" 

"I have a feeling Kikyou has a large part to play in this, love." he said sadly. Sango shook her head and called Kirara to her. The neko youkai transformed and Sango climbed onto her back. 

"I'll be back as soon as possible." she said, leaning over to give Miroku a quick kiss on the cheek before taking off. Miroku watched as the exterminator flew off into the sky and towards the lair of the wolf prince. 

"What's happened here?" he asked, looking around the place. "Inuyasha, what have you done?" 

****Later on that evening****

Kouga sat on the floor of the hut, glaring at the still warded from of Inuyasha. They had kept the hanyou locked down, even after he had calmed down and changed back into his normal self. When Sango had come to him and explained what had happened, he had automatically brought Keiko with him. The old demoness had accepted the charge of helping the miko and now had her awake and in less pain. Shippou was already awake and yelling at the bound form of Inuyasha.

"YOU STUPID BAKA!!! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS???" Shippou yelled at the incapacitated form of Inuyasha. Sango picked the kitsune up and took him to another room. Miroku looked over at Kouga and shook his head. The monk went to sit across from the wolf prince as Keiko went to care for Kaede.

"Kouga?" Miroku asked. "What's happened since we left?" The wolf prince looked over at Inuyasha and frowned. 

"It's a long story." he said. " But I am afraid I am not at liberty to explain. However, I'm sure Lady Kagome will explain as soon as she gets here."

"How long will it be before Kagome will be back?" Sango asked as she shut the door to the room she had just put Shippou in. The small kitsune started pounding on the door and Sango reached to where there were some lollipops on a counter before opening the door and giving them to the kitsune. The difference was immediate, as Shippou gave up his tirade and began eating the candy.

"It shouldn't be long." Kouga said. "I sent the letter as soon as I got here." Inuyasha, who had went back to normal, well as normal as he could get when being tied down by magical wards, only sat on the floor, glaring at whatever would pass in front of him.

"Kagome doesn't need to be here." he said, wiggling to try and get out of the wards. "Let her stay with her family." Kouga growled and picked the hanyou up by his collar.

"I think you need to sit down and shut up, hanyou." he growled. "You've done enough damage since you've made this wish. Personally, if I was Kagome, I wouldn't want to see you after what you've done to her." Inuyasha growled and struggled some more.

" She's not going to be back anytime soon." he said. "Only I can get through that well. There's no way some stupid letter you dropped down a well going to bring her back. So you might as well let me go." 

"You are not going anywhere until we find out what all of this is about, Inuyasha." Miroku said stiffly. "I know not what's gotten into you, old friend, but I do not like it."

  
"I've got nothing to say to any of you." Inuyasha said flatly.

"On the contrary, I believe you do." came another voice from the front of the hut. Everyone turned around and looked at the very angry Kagome that had entered the room. "I believe you have a lot of explaining to do, Inuyasha."

**__**

A/N - Anyways, here's the latest installment of this wonderful saga. I hope you guys are enjoying. Special thanks to all of my reviewers. I love all of you people, you just don't realize how much!!! Okay, later peeps. Leave me a review telling me what you think so far.

Oh, and I realize that the time frame between the last chapter and this one is a little skewed. Just over look my mistake, please.

And just for those of you who have been waiting for the wonderful confrontation between a pissed off Kagome and a guilty Inuyasha, it's in the next chapter. Bet you can't wait, huh, huh, huh? Okay, I'm leaving now. Bye.


	13. Chapter 13

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By the way, I have a feeling that this chapter should be rated R, mainly because of Inuyasha's mouth, and Kagome's temper. Ummm, if you get offended by cursing, you might want to skip the last part of this chapter. Just to let you know though, I am probably going to be changing the rating on this whole story soon. Some of the upcoming chapters are…questionable. I'm not sure yet. But, I'll keep you posted.

Disclaimer - Okay, it's not mine. No matter how much I wish, dream, beg, or plead with these people, they just won't give in. Darn!!

He's in Trouble Now!!!!

Inuyasha gulped when he looked over at his ex-lover. Kagome's hair was a mess and the anger in her eyes caused sparks to fly. She dropped her bag at the entrance to the door, and walked over to the futon where Keiko was helping Kaede, never breaking eye contact with the white haired Inuyasha. She didn't speak another word until she was beside the injured miko. When she looked down at the old woman, her hardened features softened into the Kagome everyone in the hut knew. She laid a small hand on the old miko's shoulder and squeezed gently, making sure not to hurt her.

"Lady Kaede?" she asked softly. "How are you feeling?" Kaede, still somewhat disoriented from the blood loss, looked up at the girl and frowned.

"Kagome! Watch yourself, child!" she said weakly, laying a hand on Kagome's smaller one. "He is very…….angry!" Kagome nodded and glared back over at the hanyou, her beautiful face becoming hard again.

"I will be fine, Lady Kaede." she whispered, gaining eye contact with the subdued hanyou. "Inuyasha isn't going to hurt me. He's not going anywhere at the moment, in fact." She looked back down to the old woman and smiled weakly. "Rest, Lady Kaede."

"Kagome! Kagome!" the hanyou called out desperately. "Get these wards off of me!" Kagome looked over at the hanyou and snarled.

"Shut up, Inuyasha." she said stoically. "You'll need your breath for later." The miko turned to Sango, her features softening a little. "Where is Shippou, Sango?" The demon exterminator smiled and opened the door to the other room. Kagome looked inside of it quickly and smiled. The kitsune had curled up on the bed and was fast asleep, the lollipop stick lying by his side.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha called again. "Get me out of here. I have not done anything wrong!" Kouga growled and walked over to the bound hanyou, lifting him up by his neck.

"Lady Kagome told you to shut up, you worthless bastard!" he growled, tightening his grip on the dog-demon's throat. "Listen to her before you make me mad!" Inuyasha struggled as best he could against the youkai's strength. 

"Put me down, wolf!" he snarled. "You've got nothing to do with any of this."

"On the contrary." the prince growled. "If it has to do with my Lady Kagome, it has to do with ME!" Kouga was about to break his neck in half when Kagome's hand pulled Kouga back to reality.

"That's enough, Kouga." she said quietly. "I don't want you to kill him, yet." Inuyasha looked at the girl with shocked eyes. _'She doesn't mean it. There's no way she could have found out already……'_

  
"Kagome? What…." he began quickly.

"Shut up, Inuyasha!" she said, her steel gaze pining the hanyou to the floor. She turned to Kouga and nodded. "Kouga, will you do something for me?" The wolf prince nodded and bowed down to Kagome.

"What is it, my Lady?" he asked. 

"Don't call her that!" Inuyasha yelled. "She's not yours!"

"I want you to go find Kikyou. And bring her here, to me, unharmed." Kagome said in a deathly quiet tone, ignoring the protesting hanyou in the corner. "Can you do that for me?" Kouga bowed and exited the room silently.

"It will be done, Lady." he said as he exited the hut. Inuyasha looked at the girl like she was crazy. _'Oh, shit, I'm in for it now. Kagome's pissed, and there won't be a village left when she and Kikyou start!!'_

"Leave Kikyou out of this!" Inuyasha fumed suddenly. "She's got nothing to do with this!"

"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" Sango asked sarcastically. "Afraid the little girl can't handle what she's gotten herself into?" Inuyasha cut his eyes to the exterminator and was about to retort when Kagome stepped into his line of sight.

"On the contrary, Inuyasha." Kagome said smoothly. "She has EVERYTHING to do with this." The miko turned her back on the speechless, and now very scared hanyou, to speak with Sango and Miroku about something. Sango told her something, and Inuyasha could sense Kagome's temper flare up once again. Kagome quickly ran back to the room where Shippou was lying. She opened the door and looked carefully at the kitsune. Sure enough, the scar marks were visible from where Inuyasha had slashed at him earlier that day. Kagome had not noticed them earlier, but now that she looked closer, it was obvious to her. The gashes were long healed, but the red scars were still visible on his cheek and upper arm. The angry miko closed the door and walked over to the hanyou, Hell's brimstone burning in her eyes. She stopped right in front of Inuyasha and glared.

"You hurt Shippou." It was more of a comment than a question. Inuyasha met her steely gaze with one of his own. No matter what he'd done, he was not going to back down from her. "How could you attack an innocent child?"

"He deserved it. The little brat had it coming." he said blandly. Kagome took a deep breath and refrained herself from slapping the ignorant hanyou.

"What about Kaede? Did she have it coming also?" Kagome queried. "What did she do to you to deserve an unprovoked attack?" Inuyasha looked away from the girl, not having an answer for her. Kagome used her finger and thumb to grasp his chin and force him to look at her. "What's wrong, Inuyasha? Run out of lies to tell me?"

"Kagome….I…"

"Save it." she said, getting up from her place on the floor. "Kouga should be back any minute now with that bitch Kikyou. I'm going to clear this mess up once and for all, tonight." Kagome turned and went over to where Keiko was sitting on a chair. The old demoness looked up the child with caring eyes as she sat down.

"Calm yourself, Lady." she said gently. "Nothing good will come out of anger."

"Keiko," the miko said. "Just let me say what I've got to tonight. I…I just have to do this." The old demoness nodded and stood from the seat. 

"I will move Lady Kaede into another room so that she will not be disturbed."

"It's alright, Keiko." Kagome said, getting up from the seat. "I'm taking this altercation outside." She stood up and looked over to where Sango and Miroku were sitting. "Sango. Miroku. Come here for a moment, please." The monk and exterminator got up from their positions and walked over to Kagome.

"What is it, Kagome?" Sango asked. 

  
"I need you two to bring Inuyasha outside for me." she said, jerking her head towards where the hanyou sat. Miroku looked doubtful, but nodded.

"As you wish, Kagome." he said. He pulled out another ward and threw it at the hanyou's mouth, sufficiently shutting him up. Miroku walked over to the demon youth and shook his head. Sango, on the other hand, put a reassuring hand on Kagome's shoulder and hugged her.

"Kagome….I don't know what to tell you." she said quietly. Kagome let her icy wall drop for a moment as she looked at her friends sad eyes. 

"It's alright, Sango." she said, the tears forming in her eyes. "I should have known this was coming."

"I want to help you, Kagome." the older girl whispered. "I just don't know what to do."

"Stand beside me when I make my decision." Kagome said with tears in her eyes. "I'm afraid I won't have many friends left after this night is over with."

"You will always have me and Miroku." Sango said, wiping the tears from her own eyes. "Count on that." Kagome gave a weak smile as the girl hugged her. "Now, let's see if I can help Miroku drag this piece of filth out into the streets." Sango walked over to where the monk was standing and helped to pick up the struggling hanyou and take him outside. Before following them out, Kagome turned to Keiko once again.

"I'm taking this into the woods, Keiko." she said faintly. "I don't want Shippou to hear this. And Kaede doesn't need to be disturbed." The demoness only bowed in acceptance as Kagome left the hut. Kagome turned and left the hut, walking into the cooler air of the evening. She sighted the still struggling form of Inuyasha lying on the ground at Miroku and Sango's feet. She glanced around, taking in the numerous huts that were clustered around Kaede's. 

She felt the latent power of the Shikon no Tama course through her veins as she drew closer to the prostate dog-demon. An aura of soft pink light enveloped her, causing the others to stare in amazement. She walked up to the hanyou and grabbed him by the collar, effectively lifting him off of the ground. 

"We're taking this somewhere else." she said through gritted teeth. Inuyasha let a growl escape from his throat, the red in his eyes was starting to come back. Kagome smirked.

"Trying to scare me now, are you?" she asked. "I got news for you. It's not working." She let the half demon fall to the ground with a satisfying thud. Kagome waved her hands and the soft pink light that surrounded her body, enveloped Inuyasha's also, and he began floating a few inches off of the ground. Kagome walked towards the forest, saying nothing to the others. Inuyasha followed behind her, still struggling to get the wards off. Sango looked at Miroku and frowned.

"Should we go with them?" she asked. Miroku frowned. 

"I know not, love." he said. "She did not say not to. So I guess we can. If she wants us to leave, she will tell us." Sango nodded and the two followed the still silent form of Inuyasha as Kagome led them to the outskirts of the village and into the dense tree-break. 

When Kagome got to where she wanted, she nodded towards Inuyasha and the pink light disappeared, causing him to fall to the ground. As soon as Kagome turned around, a strong gust of wind lifted her hair back from her face and a swirl of dust settled over everything. She covered her eyes and waited for the dust to die down before glancing up. Kouga was back, and in his grasp was a furious Kikyou. The wolf demon had the miko's hands pinned behind her back. Kikyou set her sights on Kagome and sneered, but when she looked at Inuyasha's still form she only shook her head.

"What have you done to him?" Kikyou asked, venom lacing her voice. 

"Nothing permanent, I assure you." Kagome said through clenched teeth. She looked up at Kikyou's capturer and nodded. "Let her go, Kouga."

"But, Lady Kagome…" he started.

"Let her go, Kouga." Kagome said firmly. The wolf prince stared at her like she was crazy, but let the other miko go. He immediately went to Kagome's side in case Inuyasha tried something stupid. Kikyou stumbled, but regained her footing before falling. She looked around and quickly ran to Inuyasha's side, pulling the wards from his body and mouth. Kagome, with Kouga now standing beside her, waited until Inuyasha was on his feet before continuing.

"Now that we're all here," she said icily. "I would like to know what has been going on behind my back for the past few weeks." She glared at the two lovers and waited for an explanation.

"I don't see as how you need an explanation." Kikyou said. "You've obviously have already drawn your own conclusions about this." Kagome snickered and looked down at the older miko.

"I am merely giving Inuyasha a chance to defend himself." she said.

"What for?" the hanyou asked. "Like Kikyou said, you've already made your decision. So it doesn't matter what I say to the contrary, you're not going to believe me." Kagome gave an evil smile and walked right up to the face of the hanyou.

"You know, you're right." she said matter of factly. "I already know the truth." She looked over at Kikyou and shook her head in disgust. "I already know that you've been running to her since you made the wish on the Shikon no Tama."

"You have no proof of that, bitch." Kikyou said. "Just unfounded accusations."

"So seeing you two together in the clearing isn't proof enough?" Kagome asked suddenly. "Hearing how Inuyasha was going to come to my era tonight and make sure that I was too scared to come back. Or maybe it was when you both came into the clearing soaking wet. Or maybe, it was when you asked him what he was going to do about me, and he said 'Who?'. Think that might been a clue?" Kikyou turned pale and hid behind Inuyasha. The white haired hanyou let loose a growl and stood up to her.

"You were spying on us?" he accused her.

"No, I was merely being shown something that I believed wasn't possible." she answered stonily. "You see, I knew the second you suggested that wish that Kikyou would be brought back. However, being me, I gave you the benefit of the doubt when you said you loved me. So I went along with the cover story of you wanting to bring Sango's and Shippou's families back."

"I did want to bring them back." Inuyasha said violently. He was telling the truth. He had seriously wanted to bring the others back. Having Kikyou back was just a side effect of the wish. At least, that's how his mind had rationalized it.

"No, you didn't." Kagome stated, pointing at the girl hiding behind him. "You wanted to bring her back."

"Kagome…."

"I don't want to hear it, Inuyasha." she said. "You made the wish to bring her back. I was never anything more to you than a shard detector. You manipulated me, my emotions, and my friends. You toyed with my senses, making me believe that you had actually given up on her. The whole time we were searching for those shards, you were lying to me."

"You were never anything to him, bitch." Kikyou said suddenly, coldly. "All he ever saw in you was me."

"I wasn't talking to you." Kagome snapped, glaring at the girl. 

"Too bad." Kikyou smirked. 

"Yeah, too bad." Kagome said with a frown. She lifted her hand and the light of the Shikon jewel enveloped her once again. She waved her hand towards the other girl and Kikyou flew back, landing against a tree. The soft pink light pinning her to the bark much like her own arrow had pinned Inuyasha all those years ago. The older miko fought against the power of the jewel she had once wielded, but it was no good. Her own understanding of the jewel's power had deserted her. She was helpless to the wrath of Kagome. She was being held to the tree with the energy of the jewel. "Next time, wait until I speak to filth like you before talking to me." Kagome said fiercely.

Inuyasha watched, horrified as Kikyou was thrown against the tree. His temper started to rise and slivers of blood red began to creep into his eyes. He growled and looked over at Kagome, who was watching Kikyou with as much loathing as he had ever seen. His demon instincts took over, and he let the demon blood flow through him unaltered. _'That bitch hurt my mate.'_ his broken thoughts said. _'She'll pay.'_

Kouga watched as Kagome locked her enemy to the tree with the power of the jewel. His ears picked up the sound of a feral growl and he looked over at Inuyasha. His eyes got wide as he realized that Inuyasha was turning into his demon form. Before he could process what was going on, the hanyou had already raised a clawed hand and swiped at Kagome. The girl caught the blow on her shoulder and fell to the ground with a cry of pain. Blood began to seep through the rips in her clothes and she closed her eyes, wincing in the immense pain. Kouga looked down at the girl and then to the hanyou. _'He's lost his mind!!!'_

"KAGOME!!" Sango yelled.

"LADY!!" Miroku screamed. "LOOK OUT!!!"

Inuyasha didn't realize what he was doing until it was too late. He had already knocked the intruder down, and now he was going in for the kill. He lunged at the downed girl, but stopped mid-air when someone grabbed the collar of his haoiri. The demon dog looked behind him and a set of piercing blue eyes met his gaze. 

"How DARE you?" he asked. "Hitting a woman. You are disgusting!" Kouga threw the dog to the ground and stooped down to help Kagome up. Kagome had tears in her eyes from the pain. Kouga held her up and looked back to where Inuyasha was standing.

"Get away from her, wolf!" the possessed demon hissed. "She's not yours."

"She's not yours, either, dog face!" the wolf demon barked. Kagome looked up and shook her head.

"I'm not ANYBODY'S!" she said loudly. She gingerly pulled out of the prince's grasp. "No one owns me." She stated simply.

"You carry my marking." Inuyasha growled, his demon form speaking out to them. "You're mine."

"Your marking is gone." Kouga said icily. 

Kagome pulled her shirt collar down and exposed her neck. The marking was gone. Inuyasha, or what was left of his mentality, growled again. "You have no ties to me now. Go back to Kikyou, as she's the one that bears your marking now." she said. "That's who you wanted this whole time, anyways." Kagome turned her back on the hanyou again and began to walk away. 

The demon in Inuyasha burned like molten lava. His mate was walking away from him. And that stupid wolf had his arms around her. He was about to jump again when a moan from behind him caught his attention.

"Inu…yasha.." Kikyou gasped. "Help…me…" The confused demon looked back and saw, not Kikyou anymore, but Kagome pinned to the tree. He rushed to her side and began slashing at the ring of energy that held her. When he figured out that it was pointless, he turned back to the real Kagome.

"Let her go, witch." he said threateningly. "Let my mate go. You're fight is with me." Kagome turned around and glared at the hanyou. "That's right, wench. Let Kagome go, now!" Kagome's eyes went wide when he said this, and she glared at the woman held against the tree. 

"Kagome?" she asked, shaking her head. "You are one messed up puppy, Inuyasha. That's Kikyou over there, not me." She shook her head and sighed in defeat. Before anyone could stop her, she waved her hand towards the hanyou and a wave of purifying energy hit Inuyasha square in the chest, knocking him to the ground. The wave pinned the hanyou to the ground, not allowing him to grasp the sword on his side, or use his claws to slash at the binding. Kagome walked over to the hanyou and bent down, slapping him hard across the face.

"WENCH!" the demon yelled. "I'LL KILL YOU!!"

"You're not going to do anything right now, Inuyasha. Except listen to me!" She jerked her hand up and the band of pink light pulled the hanyou up like a puppet. "But first, you need to understand what I'm telling you. And you can't as long as your like this." She put her hands on his forehead and concentrated what was left of her miko energy to force the hanyou back to his normal state. When the redness in his eyes dissipated, and he quit snarling, Kagome backed up from him.

"Kagome…" he began, blinking rapidly as he looked at the slashes on her shoulders. "What…."

"All you need to know is you did it, Inuyasha." she said coldly. The hanyou shook his head in denial, not believing what she said.

"I wouldn't do that to you! Kagome, what happened?" he asked. 

"Don't worry, I'm sure Kikyou will fill you in." she said coldly. Inuyasha finally realized his mistakes. He struggled against the binding again, trying to break free. Kagome watched him with cold disinterest and looked back to Kikyou. She waved her hand again, and the girl floated to her, the ring of pink energy still holding her at bay.

"Let us go, witch!" the older miko snapped. "Leave us be."

"I intend on doing just that." Kagome said. "Right now, I've something I want to say to the both of you." She turned to Kikyou first and snarled. "You. You're the one that's the root of this problem. Had it not been for you, none of this would have happened. You're a disgusting excuse for a woman, let alone a human….."

"DON'T SPEAK TO HER LIKE THAT!!!" Inuyasha yelled. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO SPEAK TO HER IN THAT MATTER!! SHE'S A MIKO!!!" Kagome turned her attention to Inuyasha for a split second and snapped.

"What am I, chopped liver?" she asked sarcastically. "Who's side are you taking on this anyway?" The hanyou said nothing, and looked dejectedly down at the ground. She turned back to the older miko and gave a half-hearted grin. "I hope you're happy with him though." she finished. "As long as no one comes along that looks like me, you should be able to keep him on a leash. But somehow, I highly doubt it!" Kikyou glared at the girl and tried to strike at her, but the binding kept her still.

"STUPID MIKO!!" she yelled in Kagome's face. "I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF!!!" Kagome snorted and stood back.

"You can't kill me, Kikyou." she said simply. "You don't have any of the spiritual energy the Shikon jewel once gave you. When I was born your reincarnate, the powers passed to me. Your helpless against me, so don't even try it." Inuyasha looked at her like she was crazy.

"The jewel was destroyed when I made that wish." he said fiercely. "How can you still wield its power? It's impossible.!"

"The jewel re-embedded itself in me when you made that wish, Inuyasha." she explained hastily. "If you'd have paid attention, you'd have noticed that! I will keep the jewel until the next protector is born." She gave Kikyou one last sneer and turned to the subdued hanyou. "Now, as for you…"

"Kagome, please…I'm sorry."

"You're WHAT??" Kikyou screamed.

"Now, you're sorry?" she asked sarcastically. "You weren't to sorry when you were fucking her in the woods the other night were you?" Inuyasha hung his head, knowing there was no way out of her logic. She got right up in his face and shook her head. "As good as I was to you. And this is the thanks I get? Was all the time we spent together on the hunts for the shards, and in my time, that easy for you to forget?"

"Kagome…" he said quietly, trying to stop her tirade for a few moments at least. 

"I….I'm sorry."

"That won't work this time, Inuyasha." she said sadly. "You've hurt me too many times." She stepped back from the two of them and frowned before turning back to Inuyasha. He suddenly let off a strange light and his hair started to lighten and his doggy ears disappeared from the top of his head.. Kagome looked to the West, knowing what it was.

The sun had set, and it was the night of the new moon. Kagome frowned and shook her head dejectedly. 

"I hope she's your dream come true, Inuyasha." she said suddenly. She walked back up to the hanyou and took the prayer beads from around his neck, dropping them to the ground at his feet. She shook her head and walked back to where she had been. "Because she'll never be as good to you as I was. She'll never truly accept you as being a hanyou, no matter what she says or does. I loved you, and accepted you, as yourself. Not your human form, not your demon form. But the combination of both of them that made you who you are, or should I say, were." By this time, Kagome was wiping the tears away from her eyes. She walked back towards Kaede's village, but turned around to face the two guilty lovers one last time, her gaze settling the longest on the now human form of Inuyasha. "Good-bye, Inuyasha." She waved her hands and the two lovers fell to the ground as the bindings of energy faded, leaving the two of them in two piles of robes. "I hope you're happy now." 

Inuyasha stood up and dusted his robes off. He looked at Kagome and frowned. He knew now that he's lost her for good. His own stupid actions had caused him to leave him. Down at his feet, Kikyou was still lying on the ground. Acting on instinct, he bent down to pick her up. She had passed out. He held her bridal style and turned back to face Kagome. He met her eyes and did not look away.

"I am sorry, Kagome." he said faintly. 

"I'm sure you will be." she said sadly. She turned to walk back to the village when the pink light of the Shikon Jewel once again enveloped her. She rose from the ground and floated towards the village. She had to get Kaede well, then go back to her own home. 

Back down on the ground, Miroku and Sango were doing their best to restrain the wolf prince from killing Inuyasha on the spot. 

  
"I HOPE YOU BURN IN HELL FOR DOING THIS TO HER!!!" the wolf demon screamed. He tried to get to the transformed hanyou, but Miroku and Sango stood in his way, bodily blocking his path.

  
"Kouga!" Miroku said firmly. "Killing Inuyasha isn't going to stop what happened!"

"It'll make me feel better to make him suffer!" Kouga snarled.

"He's going to suffer enough without Kagome by his side." Sango whispered to him urgently. "You don't need to beat him to a bloody pulp! Kagome is angry with him now. But if you kill him, she'll never speak to YOU again!" This seemed to calm the full youkai down and he glared at the hanyou and miko in front of him before taking to the air to follow Kagome.

"This time, dog-turd," he said evenly. "You don't know what you've screwed up." And with that, he went as fast as he could after Kagome. Inuyasha looked down at the form of Kikyou, now passed out in his arms. 

"For once, I'll agree with him." he said softly, sadly. "I fucked this up royally." He looked around the clearing to where Sango and Miroku were standing. 

He looked at the two of them and frowned. Sango's face was set into a frown of disgust, and the hanyou flinched when she shook her head at him. If it had not been for the darkness, he was sure he could see the angry sparks in her eyes. He looked to the monk, who had no type of expression on his face. He shook his head, and without a word to Miroku and Sango and walked deeper into the forest, carrying Kikyou's body with him. When he was finally out of sight, Miroku turned to Sango and shook his head.

"It's over." he said. "I'm afraid we've lost him to Kikyou for good this time." Sango frowned.

"He knew what he was doing." she stated firmly. "I don't pity him in the least." She turned around and began walking back towards the village, her own anger beginning to slowly dissipate. Miroku watched her and sighed. _'He has no idea what he's just done to our group.'_ he thought sadly. The monk closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had work to do before he and Sango left to go back to her village. He opened his eyes and stared at the place were Inuyasha had carried the miko. 

"I am truly sorry for you, my friend." he whispered. He picked his staff up and proceeded back to the village. "I am truly sorry……."

**__**

A/N - Okay peeps, there's the confrontation scene. How'd I do? Did I get Kagome's anger across good enough? If I didn't, I'm sorry. Anyway, leave me a review and tell me what you think. I'd appreciate it greatly. Later.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer - It's not mine. Never was.

Kagome got back to Kaede's village only moments after she'd left the clearing. Her mind was a jumble of ideas and emotions. Betrayal, disappointment, fear, and hurt were only a bit of the confusing mixture. She landed in front of Kaede's hut and was about to go in when a rushing of wind caught her attention. She glanced around behind her, only to find Kouga standing a few feet from her. He said nothing to her, but she knew what he was not vocalizing. Even though it was dark, and the only light came from the torches and candles that lined the huts, Kagome knew. 

His eyes were swimming with emotions. Unlike most full youkai, such as Sesshomauro, Kouga could never hide his feelings completely. The wolf prince stood there, hands at his side, his gaze fixed on Kagome. She saw everything in him and at that moment, she could read the man like an open book.

In his gaze, the hurt of what Inuyasha had done was coupled with the anger he was feeling. Disappointment was obvious, and there was a longing. A longing to help her to feel better, to wipe away the tears of sadness, and the betrayal and humiliation she'd just suffered through. Although it was only a fleeting glimpse, Kagome realized that Kouga was someone who deeply cared for her. Someone who would risk everything to make her better. And that scared her. Inuyasha had done the same thing. Making her think he would always be there, loving and taking care of only her. _'Yeah, I believed him and look what happens to me!'_ she thought bitterly. She turned back around and was about to enter the hut when a gentle hand stopped her.

"Kagome.." he said quietly, unsure. "I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry for putting you through this. Your tears are making me wish I had kept my big mouth shut." Kagome looked up at the wolf and gave him a weak smile, knowing that he was telling the truth. He hadn't done it to spite the hanyou. He had actually cared about her feelings in the long run. She put her own hand on his and shook her head.

"It's okay, Kouga." she whispered. "I...I'm glad I found out before I got in any deeper. Before I loved him anymore." Kouga, glad that she was not mad at him for starting the whole ordeal, pulled her into a hug. The wolf prince growled as the previously unshed tears began to fall from her face. 

She hadn't allowed herself to break down in front of Inuyasha. It had been a matter of pride. Just something to show the hanyou that she was capable of dealing with the betrayal without crying like a little ninny-baby. She would be strong, and prove that she did not need him to be there for her, no matter how hard it was. But now that she was away from him, and being held by the wolf prince, she let the tears go. 

She cried. And she cried hard. Kouga only held the girl, wishing to whatever god there was that the hanyou would live a life of Hell for doing this. She let the angry tears fall, wetting her clothes and Kouga's armor. She clutched to the youkai prince as though he was a life line and she was about to drown. He could feel the sobs wracking her depleted body, and knew that she was going to wear herself out even quicker if she kept on. However, he wouldn't stop her. She needed to let these emotions out, and he knew that. He also knew that her pride was what had kept her from breaking down in the clearing. And it made him feel good that she would open up with him. In his mind, that meant that she trusted him an awful lot to show this much weakness. 

He heard the entrance to the hut open and glanced up. It was Keiko. The old demoness said nothing when she took in the scene before her. Kouga shook his head, silently begging her not to interrupt them. The woman nodded and stepped quietly back into the hut. A few minutes later, Kagome picked herself out of Kouga's arms and began to wipe away the trails of tears. He stood, helping to balance her. The crying had exhausted her, and she was wobbling around on her own feet.

"Kagome.." Kouga said quietly. "You need to rest." Kagome said nothing, but nodded in agreement.

"I know." she said meekly. "But there is something I need to do first." Kouga understood her and silently followed her into Kaede's hut and to where the old miko lay. As soon as the door opened, Shippou leapt into her arms. Kagome, caught off balance by the kitsune's rambunctious attack, stumbled. She clutched the child with one hand and shot the other one out to brace herself against the wall. It was unnecessary though, as Kouga was right behind her, and therefore the one she fell into.

"Kagome!" Shippou shouted. "I thought you were going to leave me. I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay here. Please don't go away. We'll kick Inuyasha out of the village. Please don't leave me here. I don't want you to seal the well and never come back." He paused long enough to take a breath. But when he noticed that Kagome had been crying, he let loose on a string of curses that even had Kouga blushing. 

"Calm down, child." Keiko said quietly, as the kitsune's temper calmed down a shade. "The Lady Kagome needs her rest. It has been a tiring evening for her." The old demoness made to take the child out of her arms, but Shippou let a little growl escape him and she backed up, surprised at the audacity of the young fox demon. When she had backed up enough, Shippou looked back up at his surrogate mother.

"You're not going to leave me, are you Kagome?" he asked sadly. "I....I don't want you to never come back." He looked over at Kouga and grinned half-heartedly. "And neither does Kouga." The wolf prince hung his head, trying to hide the blush that had crept up, but Kagome took no immediate notice of it. However, Keiko did, and she smiled at the two friends. Kagome smiled down at the child and ruffled his red, furry head. 

"I'm not going to leave you, Shippou." she said with a fake smile. "But I am going to have to go back to my own time for a little while."

"But you're not going to seal the well permanently, are you?" Kouga asked quickly. Hoping against hope that she would at least come back some times. 

"No, I'm not going to seal it off permanently." she said with a sigh. "However, no one will be able to get through to me. I banned the only other person who could travel between times out of the well." She seemed to want to tear up again, but Shippou hugged her tightly, and this time, a genuine smile graced her face.

Keiko smiled as she looked at the three people standing before her. Kagome, with Shippou in her arms, was standing in front of Kouga. She shook her head as idea after idea floated through her head. _'They will make good parents one day.'_ she thought. _'Kagome has a loving patience with children that is rare to find. Especially if the child is not her own. Kouga will always be there to protect his children. He will teach them to hunt and run with the pack....'_ She was brought out of her ramblings when Kagome addressed her.

"Lady Keiko, is Kaede awake yet?" Kagome asked, setting the kitsune of the floor. 

"Aye, my lady, she is. Although barely." Keiko answered. "She is drifting in and out of wakefulness as the medicines wear off." Kagome nodded and walked to the side of the aged miko. 

"Lady Kaede?" she asked weakly. "Can you hear me? It's Kagome." The old miko stirred slightly and opened her eye. It was glazed over in pain and she looked surprised.

"Kagome, dear." she croaked out. "Stay away from the hanyou. He is ready to kill... My sister has corrupted......thoughts.." Kagome put her hand on the old woman and gave a wry grin. 

"You need not worry about him, or your sister, lady." she said. "They have both been dealt with accordingly. Now, you need to be healed properly." As she said this, the light of the Shikon jewel once again began to pulsate, and the room was filled with the light. To the surprise of Keiko and Shippou, Kagome passed her hand over the wounds on the old woman and they began to slowly heal themselves. The skin closed itself, not even leaving a scar. When Kagome pulled her hands back, Kaede was healed completely. Keiko looked over at the human miko and rubbed her eyes. She looked over at Kouga and shook her head in misunderstanding.

"Did I just see that?" she asked skeptically. "Lady Kagome, you have healed her completely!" Kouga only smiled, proud that the woman he loved had won the acceptance of the old demoness, even though she'd had it already for a long time.

"I don't feel so...good." Kagome said, putting her hand on her forehead and falling to her knees beside the futon where Kaede lay. Before she could fall to the ground, Kouga had swept her up into his arms. 

"You need rest, love." he whispered gently. 

"I know." she answered. "I need to go home." 

"You can go home in the morning, child." Keiko said quickly. "You need to spend the night here."

"But..."

"No buts, Kagome." Kouga said gently. "Your liable to get hurt if you try to go through the well this exhausted. And I can't go with you to make sure you're safe. So, you're staying here tonight." Kagome only sighed, the logical part of her brain knowing once again that he was right. She gave him a small moan of defeat and immediately fell asleep in his arms. Keiko smiled and pulled back the covers on the bed at her feet.

"Put her down here, Kouga." she instructed the prince. Kouga gently laid the sleeping girl on the covers and watched as Keiko covered her up. "She will sleep all night. This evenings events have tired her greatly." Shippou looked down at his surrogate mother and frowned. He walked up to her and plopped down beside her, content to sleep next to her like he had done so many times before. He finally got comfortable, and fell asleep next to her. 

Kouga, on the other hand, was itching to get a hold of Inuyasha. He kept pacing around the room until Keiko's sharp voice brought him back to reality.

"Lord Kouga, if you must pace around like some nervous pup, go outside so that you will not disturb Lady Kaede and Lady Kagome." she said quickly. Kouga glared at the older woman and was about to stalk outside when he heard a whimper from Kagome. He quickly turned around and went to her side. She was twisting and turning, obviously having some type of nightmare.

"Kikyou.....bastard.....Naraku....killed....Inuyasha....Shippou....help me.......Kouga....." she mumbled. Kouga looked a little surprised when she said his name. A warm feeling of admiration enveloped him. He put his hand on her forehead and whispered to her.

"I'm here, Kagome. Everything is going to be alright. Rest." He said. Surprisingly, the girl calmed down, as though she could understand what he was saying. Kouga grinned like a maniac and laid down beside her. Keiko looked over and shook her head.

"I thought you were going outside, Lord Kouga." she said. 

"I changed my mind." he said gruffly. Keiko smiled and crawled into another bed. The two wolf demons were the only ones still up. Sango and Miroku had retired earlier, and now she was ready to follow their example. 

"Very well. Good night, Lord Kouga." she said as she pulled the light covering over her. Her only reply was a gruff '_humph_' from the wolf prince. She smiled, realizing how much Kagome changed Kouga when she was around. He actually acted like he cared about things when she was there. He was more level headed and alert when she was there. He was also more protective of her when he was anywhere around her. _'Yes, Lord Kouga. She brings out the best in you. Much like I had seen my eldest daughter bring out the best in your father before she died. Kagome is just like your mother, and you are just like your father. It is eerie that you should find someone so like your mother in temperament, especially in a human girl. But, who am I to say what is in the stars. Goodnight, children. Sleep tight, for there is more conflict to face in the morning.'_ The old demoness glanced over to the sleeping Kagome and noticed that Kouga had already fallen into a restless sleep beside her. Shippou was curled up next to her and sleeping soundly. Keiko smiled sadly and slowly allowed herself to drift off into a slumber, finally putting to rest the worries of the day. 

Elsewhere, in a small hut in the middle of the forest.....

Inuyasha had brought Kikyou back to the little hut and put her to sleep. The miko had taken a bad blow at the hands of Kagome, and it showed. She was slowly starting to bruise, and Inuyasha was not happy about it. However, he was secretly glad that Kagome had not decided to make him suffer anymore than she had. He climbed up into the bed next to Kikyou and laid awake all night, wondering exactly what would happen now that he had lost Kagome.

__

'I'll bet wolf-boy is just loving this!' he thought angrily. _'Kagome's finally fed up with me, and now wolfie thinks he's just going to step in and take her away from me. I've got news for him, he's wrong. Dead wrong.'_ Beside him, Kikyou stirred and turned over to face him. She was awake and looking around.

"Inuyasha?" she asked quietly. "Where am I at?"

"We're back at the hut, love." he said gruffly. "Don't worry. Everything is alright." Kikyou noticed the hardness in his voice and sat up in the bed. She knew what was wrong, and she intended to fix the problem.

"You're thinking about her again, aren't you?" she asked quietly. "You're thinking about Kagome." Inuyasha could sense her hurt and could smell the salty tears that were forming. "You're wishing it was her you were with instead of me." With this final statement, Kikyou through back the blanket and tried to get up from the bed. She stumbled because of the hits she had taken, and Inuyasha caught her before she could fall.

"I don't wish you were her, Kikyou." he said. "I love you." 

"Then how come you act so bitter after you've seen her. It's like you don't want me when you know that she's still here." Kikyou said bitterly. "Make you're decision, Inuyasha. Which one do you want, me or her." Inuyasha looked at the girl and frowned. He didn't want to see her upset, and he knew he had lost Kagome for good because of her.

"I want you, Kikyou." he whispered. " I always have. The only reason I played Kagome along was because I knew she could bring you back to me." Kikyou seemed pacified with that answer and crawled back into bed with him. She snuggled up to the human form of Inuyasha and slowly fell into a deep slumber. 

"I love you, Inuyasha." she whispered as she fell asleep.

"And I love you too.....Kagome." he said as the tears of shame began to pour down his face. He knew that what he had said about playing Kagome along was not true, no matter what he'd told Kikyou. He'd lost her, and he knew it. Kikyou turned in his arms and he wrapped his arm around her. He still loved Kikyou, but not like he loved Kagome. 

__

'I'm sorry, Kagome.' he thought. _'I'm sorry for what I've done. I realize that now. But it's too late. You're not even going to look at me again, and you don't realize how that's going to hurt me. You once told me that if I ever betrayed you with anyone else, especially Kikyou, you'd hate me for the rest of your life. Well, I've earned that hatred, now I have to learn to deal with it. You'll never love me again, but maybe, just maybe, there will be a day when you will be able to speak to me again. I don't know when that day will come, but I will be there to face it. No matter what you have to say to me when that day rolls around, I'll accept it, as long as I know you don't want me dead.'_ Once again, Kikyou turned over and sighed. Inuyasha looked down and smiled. _'Until that time, I have someone who does love me. It'll help to make the hurt go away, but my heart will forever be yours, Kagome. I will heal slowly from your rejection, but I will heal none the less. No matter what. Whether you hate me or not. In my heart, I'll never truly be gone from you.'_ With that last thought, and as the morning rays of sun began to pour through the small window on the eastern side of the hut, Inuyasha finally gave in and let the abyss of sleep overtake him. 

A/N : Okay people here you go, the next chapter in this wonderful saga. Hope you enjoyed it. I know it doesn't really move the plot along a lot, but I couldn't help it. It just kind of typed itself. The next one will be better, I promise. Remember to leave me a review of what you think. Later.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer - It's not mine. Never was.

**__**

A/N : Hello everyone. How are ya'll doing? Good I hope. Okay, here's the next chappie in my wonderful saga. 

I'm Going Back.

When Kagome finally awoke the next day, she was not surprised to see Shippou curled up beside her. What surprised her the most was the warm body of someone else behind her. Her eyes popped open and she turned around to see Kouga, also waking up from his sleep. His hair was a mess, and there was sleep in his eyes. He yawned and looked down at Kagome, noticing she had finally woken up. He knew that she did not usually sleep late. But it was already close to noon time. He had been up earlier that morning, but hadn't wanted to wake her, so he had stayed put. _'No inconvenience for me.'_ he thought.

"Sleep well, Kagome?" he asked with a small grin. Kagome smiled back and nodded. 

"Yeah. Believe it or not I did." she said. He only grinned and reluctantly pushed himself up off of the bed. Kagome smiled as she looked from the wolf down to the kitsune still lying beside her. _'Even if no one else wants me around, I know these two do.'_ she thought. Shippou began to stir and was soon sitting next to Kagome, rubbing his eyes. "Morning, Shippou." The little kitsune looked up at her and smiled. 

"Kagome!" he yelped. "How are you feeling? Are you any better? Did you get enough sleep last night?" Kagome smiled and pulled the little boy demon into a tight hug.

"I'm fine, Shippou." she said. "And I got plenty of sleep." The kit seemed to be happy with her answers and quickly dislodged himself from her arms and ran to search for something to eat. 

"You stay right there, Kagome." he ordered imperiously. "I'm going to go fix you something to eat for breakfast!" Kagome's smile faltered slightly and she shook her head, quickly remembering the last time Shippou had decided he wanted to cook something.

"That's not really necessary, Shippou." she said. "I can fix myself something. Besides, I'm sure Kaede or Sango have already fixed something." She looked out of the window and noticed that is was almost noon. "Go see if you can find them."

"I'm afraid that Sango and Lady Kaede, as well as the monk, are not here at the moment, Lady Kagome." came Keiko's motherly voice from the other room. She walked into the main room and looked down to where Kagome was still sitting.

"Is something the matter?" Kagome asked quickly. "Is something wrong? Why'd they have to leave?" Kouga noticed the panic rising in her voice and quickly moved to calm her down.

"I'm sure they are fine, Lady." he said soothingly. 

"Yes, Lady. They are in the village, tending to some sick children." Keiko explained. "The children have come down with some sort of fever, and Kaede asked if the exterminator and the monk would assist her in treating them. They asked me to inform you when they woke up. And to tell you that they will be back shortly after noon." 

"Many thanks, Keiko." Kagome said quietly. "I was afraid something else might have happened to them."

"They are fine, Lady." Keiko said. "I assure you." The old demoness smiled and took her leave of the miko and prince. Two seconds later, Kagome heard Keiko shouting at Shippou. "PUT THAT DOWN, CHILD!!! LADY KAGOME WILL EAT WHEN SHE FEELS LIKE IT!! THERE IS NO NEED TO BRING THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF KAEDE'S CUPBOARD TO HER!!!" Kagome shuddered when she heard the audible crash of dishes that came next. She looked up at Kouga and bit her lip.

"I better go see what he's done." she said softly. She was about to pull herself off of the make-shift bed when she felt Kouga's arms pull her up effortlessly. She blushed at the close proximity of the wolf, but said nothing. She tried to pull out of the awkward embrace, but Kouga kept her there, his strength keeping her rooted beside him.

"Let Keiko handle him for a little while." he said. "Running after a little one will have her feeling like her old self again." Kagome let a small grin loose, but looked up at the prince with confusion.

"Is something wrong, Kouga?" she asked. "You seem..distant this morning." Kouga smiled down at the girl and shook his head.

"I wanted to ask you something." he said softly. Kagome nodded her head, encouraging him to go on, even though she had no idea where the conversation was going. 

"What is it, Kouga?" 

"I wanted to know if you ever planned on coming back to this time now that...well...now that dog turd isn't around as much?" he asked quietly. His grip on her had not lessened. Kagome smiled and turned to face the wolf demon.

"Of course I'll be back!" she exclaimed. "It's not like I'm going to just leave you guys without a trace." She punched him on the arm playfully. "You wouldn't be that lucky!" He grinned and hugged the girl. He really did lover her, no matter what anyone else thought. 

"I'm glad you'll be back at some point." he said. "I didn't want you to forget about all of us just because of what HE did." He felt the girl tense up at the mention of the hanyou's betrayal. Kouga did not want her upset, but he had to know whether or not she was going to come back. She pulled out of his embrace and bit her lip.

"It's going to take some time, Kouga." she said. "But, I will be back here, and back to normal. You have to understand that I loved Inuyasha, with everything I had, my heart and soul. And he broke it." She felt the tears once again form in her eyes and she wrapped her arms around herself as a type of condolence. "I'll be back. I just don't know how long it will be before I can. Too many memories to contend with, you know. When I get my feelings settled down, I'll be back." 

Kouga shook his head. She might be talking about days, even months, possibly even years. He had to find a way to make sure she came back to the Feudal Era. He loved her more than anything. And he did not want to loose her to anyone else, including any males in her own time.

"I understand, Kagome." he said. "You're leaving today, aren't you?" 

"Yes. Why?"

"Some of the pups wanted to tell you good-bye before you left. They had asked if I could bring you back before you left." Kagome smiled a genuine smile at the mention of the wolf cubs. She had taken a liking to the you children during her short stays with the pack. "In fact, I am under strict orders from little Sosa to bring you back, or die trying." Kagome let out a laugh, remembering the little male pup who had told her that she was going to be his mate when he grew up. He was a cute little thing, and was smitten with Kagome from the second he had met her. When Kouga had found out about the little pup's declaration for Kagome, he had almost laughed his head off. He smiled again, knowing that she would never turn down a request from one of the children of his pack.

"I don't see why I can't go see them." she said. She looked up at Kouga and shrugged. "If you don't mind taking me there for a while, that is. I wouldn't want to intrude or anything." Kouga smiled, knowing that the children were her weakness. 

"Nah, you're no intrusion. I promise! And we can go now if you want, before you're companions get back." he suggested. "I don't know what time you were planning on getting back to your time, but I can have you back at the well whenever you want. I think Keiko is ready to leave also." Kagome smiled and nodded.

"Sounds fine. Just give me a few minutes to change out of these clothes. After last night's...encounter, I feel like burning the damn things!" She walked out of the room and Kouga sought out Keiko. He found her outside the hut, berating the little kitsune for something.

"Keiko!" he said, getting her attention. She turned from her argument with the child and looked up. Shippou ran a few feet off and began talking with some of the villagers.

"Yes, Lord Kouga?" 

"I'm taking Kagome back to the pack for a while. Some of the pups wanted to see her before she left for her time." he said. "Are you coming also?"

"Not yet, my Lord." she answered. "Kaede isn't quite well enough to be on her own. The monk and exterminator will be leaving tomorrow to go back to their village. I dare not leave the miko alone until then. She has regained some of her strength, but she is still weak."

"Very well." Kouga said. "If her friends come back before we do, tell them where she went. We'll be back in a few hours." Keiko only nodded, smiling at the obvious change in the wolf demon's demeanor. Any other time, he could care less what the pups wanted. If it were any other female, he would just send her on, and to Hell with what the children wanted. She smirked when he turned to go back into the hut. Kagome had come out, dressed in the typical red and white combination of a miko. Kouga eyed her skeptically, but she only shrugged.

"I don't like it just as much as the next person, Kouga. But I didn't exactly think I was going to need anymore clothes." she said sheepishly. "This is the only thing I have right now." Kouga just nodded and gathered the girl up before taking off into the air with a burst of speed. Shippou watched them leave, and went back to Keiko with a puzzled expression.

"Why was Kouga so mad about the clothes she had on? She wears that all of the time." he said. Keiko shook her head and frowned.

"Because it reminds him of that wench Kikyou." she said with a sigh. "And Kikyou reminds him of Inuyasha, which reminds him of why Kagome is upset in the first place." Shippou nodded, understanding finally unfolding on him. 

"Well, at least taking her away from here for a while will get her mind off of that baka Inuyasha." Shippou said gruffly. Keiko nodded, knowing that Kouga would keep the girl busy all day if he let her. 

"Yes, child. I am afraid that is what she needs more than anything else right now."

"What? A distraction?" he asked.

"No. Time with someone who really does love her for who she is, and not someone who wants her to be someone she's not." Shippou looked up at the demoness with wide eyes.

"So Kouga really does lover her?" he asked. Keiko smiled.

"More than anyone else in this world, or the next." she answered. Shippou frowned, thinking that Kouga did not deserve Kagome. _'But, then again, he has always protected her. He's proven his loyalty to her in more ways than Inuyasha has. And, he's not as bad as that baka hanyou makes him sound.'_ He smiled and looked up into the sky where the prince had flew off with his surrogate mother. _'And what's even better is, he doesn't knock me around like Inuyasha did.'_

"Whatever makes them happy." he said contently. "I mean, come on. I know he'd ever do what Inuyasha did to her; he actually believes and follows the demon's code of honor. So he's okay in my book." Keiko smiled and shook her head. 

"Spoken like a true demon, my child." she said with a smile. Shippou grinned and Keiko took his hand. "How about we go try to find something to eat?" That was all it took. Shippou practically drug the older demon back into the hut in search of food.

Meanwhile, Kagome was hanging on to Kouga as he flew towards the main cave of his pack. They landed right at the entrance and he set her on her feet. She was a little light headed from the change in altitude, but quickly regained her senses.

"Thank you, Kouga." she said sweetly. "I don't think I've ever gotten used to the whole flying thing." Kouga grinned. 

"It's not a problem." he answered easily.

"So, where are the children?" she asked, looking around.

"They should be here right...about..now." he said. Before the last syllable was out of his mouth, Kagome heard about fifteen excited voices coming from the inside of the cave. She turned around and smiled happily, any depressing thoughts of Inuyasha and his cheating leaving her mind immediately.

Nearly everyone of the little pups were rushing out of the cave and enveloping her in feverous hugs. In two seconds flat, there was a sea of little tails surrounding her.

" Lady Kagome! You came back!" cried one of the little girls.

"YAAAH! Lady Kagome's back." came another exclamation.

"Will you play with us, Lady? Huh? Please?" asked one little boy.

"Yes, please, Lady. Come play with us! We have been practicing that last game you taught us." said one of the more shy little girls.

"Oh, you've been practicing the hopscotch game I taught you?" she asked. "I'm proud of you." The little girl blushed and quickly drug her off, the rest of the kids following her, chattering wildly about all the things they had done since she'd left. 

By now, many of the other, older members of the pack had come to the entrance to see what the commotion was. When they laid eyes on Kagome, they only smiled. They all knew about the situation between the miko girl and the hanyou, and they were happy to see that she was well. One of the older women came out and stood beside Kouga.

"How is she doing?" Kuarasama asked. 

"She'll be fine." Kouga answered, watching as the children led her off. "I'm afraid it's just going to take some time." Kuarasama smiled.

"She will come around, Lord Kouga. You needn't worry." the woman said. "She belongs here, with us. And I think everyone else will agree. She has no enemies within this family."

"It's true, my lord." said one of the elder fathers. "She is at home in our surroundings. And look how she interacts with the children. You have chosen your potential mate, and co-leader of our pack, well." Kouga couldn't help but hide the grin. The rest of the pack members just shook their heads and dispersed. They had already been through the ups and downs with Kouga. Now that the miko was here, their leader was definitely going to be in a good mood for a while. 

Before long, all of the children had joined in with Kagome. Even some of the older boys and girls were speaking with her after they had come back from patrols and finished with their normal routine chores. Kouga watched her all evening, noticing the graceful ease she exhibited with his pack members, and the calming aura that surrounded her when she was happy. She spent the hours playing with the younger children and talking with the older children. She even broke away long enough to speak with some of the pack elders. But that was short lived, seeing as how the children were literally dragging her back outside. 

All too soon, she had to bid them all good-bye. It was time for her to get back to Kaede's village. She had spent more time than she had anticipated with Kouga's pack seeing as how sundown was only two hours away. She went looking for Kouga, but he was coming to get her.

"Ready to go back?" he asked, hiding the sadness in his voice. 

"I'm afraid so." she said. Kouga was about to gather her up for the flight when she felt a small tug on her pants. She looked down and found three of the children standing there, each one with their hands behind their backs.

"Ummm, excuse us, Lord Kouga, sir." one of them said timidly. 

"What is it?" he asked gruffly. The poor child almost jumped out of his skin. Kagome narrowed her eyes and punched Kouga in the arm.

"Don't sound like you're gonna bite his head off, idiot!" she scolded him. "He's just asking a question." Kouga blushed slightly and hung his head. The other children hid a giggle when they saw the girl beating up the leader of their pack. Kagome frowned at him, wondering why he had such a change in disposition. Not giving it much thought she knelt down in front of the children. "What is it, sweeties?" she asked.

"Well.you see, Lady Kagome..ummm." the little pup said, fidgeting her feet. "We wanted to give you something to remember us by while you went back to your home." Kagome looked a little surprised and glanced up at Kouga, expecting him to have something to do with this. When she only got a shrug, she turned back to the children.

"What is it, little ones?" she asked. "You don't have to give me anything. I'm not going to forget you." The children smiled and pulled out what was behind their backs.

"I made this when you first came here." the little girl said. "When you helped to heal my momma and daddy when they got into that fight." She opened her hand and presented Kagome with a small pendant carved out of wood. Kagome took it and examined it closely It was the design of a wolf head. She smiled and hugged the little girl.

"Thank you, Sisama." she said. "It's beautiful. I'm guessing your brother helped you carve it. Am I correct?" 

"Yes, Lady. He did. But he said not to tell you that because he would be embarrassed if any of his friends found out that he was giving a girl a gift." the little girl said, her eyes wide. Kagome smiled, and Kouga tried to hide his laugh as a cough. When the little girl stepped back, another little girl stepped forward.

"These are for you, Lady Kagome." she said, handing her two hair combs that had been carved from oyster shells. Kagome's breath caught when the light reflected off of the combs, making them shine brilliantly.

"Toma, these are beautiful. Where did you get them?" she asked, looking up at the girl.

"You also healed my father the first time you came here. You're miko powers help him to live. He and my mother wanted to thank you in some way, and they made these for you." she explained. Kagome hugged the girl and smiled. "My mother and I gathered the shells to make them. And the rest of my family helped to carve them."

"Well, you can tell them that I thank them greatly." she said. She tucked the combs into her pocked and smiled at the girl. Finally, the last one came forward.

"I wanted you to have this, Lady." he said. Kagome opened the little container and smiled. It was full of unopened sakura blooms. "It will keep your home smelling wonderful for a long time since the blooms have not opened yet."

"Thank you, Sosa." she said sweetly, hugging the boy. " They are wonderful, and I will keep them near to me at all times." The boy smiled and looked up at her as she stood back up. 

"When will you be coming back, Lady Kagome?" he asked suddenly. Kouga let an irritated growl go, and Kagome elbowed him in the stomach, once again making the children giggle.

"I'm not sure, sweetheart." she said. Her voice had dropped down and Kouga could smell the salty smell of tears forming. 

"You're not leaving for good, are you?" Toma asked, her eyes big with hurt. Kagome shook her head and stooped back down, gathering the children into a hug. "We don't want you to leave us here."

"No. I'll be back." she reassured them. "It might just be a while before I am."

"How long?" Sosa asked. Kagome smiled and stood back up. She really did not know how long she would be gone, so she decided to try a change of subject.

"I'll tell you what." she said with a smile. "When I come back, I'll bring you all a special present. How does that sound?" The children let out a yelp and started smiling. "Okay. It's settled. When I come back, you all have a present coming. But, I've got to go now. So I will see you then, okay?"

"Okay, Lady. Be careful."

"Yes, Lady, be careful. And come back soon."

"We love you, Lady Kagome. Please don't be gone long. We'll miss you." said Toma. "Besides, Lord Kouga is always in a better mood when you come by." Kagome felt her face warm up with the start of a fierce blush. Behind her, Kouga was glaring at all three of the cubs, who took no notice of their Lord and leader's icy gaze.

"Is that so?" Kagome asked, a small grin on her face as she looked up at the wolf prince. "I wonder why?" 

"My mommy says that it is because he finally has a woman that can put up with his arrogant, egotistical self." Toma said with a giggle. "Whatever that means." Kagome bit her lip from laughing right in front of the wolf youkai. 

"Yeah, daddy says that it's time he figured out a way to keep you here with us all the time instead of running off after just a few days." Sisama said innocently. "Lord Kouga always gets angry and moody when you leave, and he stays like that until you come back." 

"Does he, now?" Kagome asked again, choking back a chuckle at Kouga's discomfort. _'I don't want to laugh, but this is priceless.' _ she thought. _'Kids say the darndest things. I guess Kouga will be a little more discreet after this.'_

"Yeah, so do us a favor, Lady Kagome." Sosa said with a smile. "Come back here more often. Or better yet, just stay here for good. I'm sure no one would mind." By now, Kouga was more embarrassed than anything. He knew his obvious attraction to Kagome had not gone unnoticed by the older members of the pack, but he had figured the kids would not notice anything. Apparently, he had been wrong.

"Yeah, especially Lord Kouga." Sisama said with a smile. "He likes it when you are here." Kagome smiled and chuckled at the kid's innocent words. They did not realize that they were embarrassing the wolf prince, and she did not want them to get into trouble, so she decided to get them back to the cave.

"I'll think about it, okay?" Kagome asked. "But right now, I have to go. But I will be back, I promise." That seemed to pacify the happy children, but Sosa was still in a questioning mood.

"But Lady, will you stay the next time you come?" he asked. By now, Kouga was shaking his head in frustration. He needed to get Kagome back to her friends, and the kids were holding them up.

"Alright runts!" Kouga barked. "Back to the cave with the whole lot of you. Darkness is falling."

"But."

"Go on, kids." Kagome said with a smile. "I'll be back soon. You need to listen to Kouga. He knows what he's talking about. Now, go on back home." The kids smiled, gave her one last hug, and started running back towards the cave.

As they ran back to the cave, apparently to tell the other children that Kagome was bringing a present on her next visit, they waved to the miko. She stood up and watched the children leave, her hand at her throat, and her eyes trying to hold back the unexpected tears that threatened to escape. Kouga noticed the change and turned her around to face him.

"Kagome? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" he asked. Kagome smiled and looked at him.

"They said that they loved me." she said quietly. Kouga shook his head and hugged her tightly.

"And they mean it, too." he said. 

"How do you know?" she asked.

"Demons don't lie about their feelings." he said, picking her up and getting ready to fly. Kagome stiffened up and looked at him.

"Not all demons do." she said. Kouga rolled his eyes in frustration. 

" I said all DEMONS." he said pointedly. " Despicable HANYOUS do NOT count." Kagome cringed back from the venom in his voice. She had not meant to make him angry, but she obviously had.

"Kouga, calm down please." she begged. "It's been a good day, and Inuyasha hasn't messed it up in any way, shape, or form. Please don't get mad now." Kouga looked at her and the anger he had felt momentarily disappeared without a trace. He smiled and held her tighter.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so sharp." he apologized. "It's just that.well.I." Kagome smiled, putting her hand over his mouth to silence him.

"I know." she said simply. "He's a self centered, over confident, two timing, no good, bastard hanyou. You've already told me..and multiple times, I might add." Kouga grinned and shook his head.

"Now you believe me, right?" he asked. Kagome smiled and tucked her gifts into her pockets.

"Yes, now I believe you." He grinned and took to the air, not really wanting to go back to Kaede's village, but knowing that Kagome had to go back home for a while.

As the wind whipped past her, Kagome wondered exactly why Kouga was being so nice to her. _'I know he hates, Inuyasha. But I always thought he pursued me just to make Inuyasha mad. I guess I was wrong.' _ She did not have much time left to contemplate where the thoughts were going, since they were back in Kaede's village only moments later. They landed and Kouga picked up smells coming from the hut.

"I think I got you back in time." he muttered. "They're fixing the evening meal." He turned to leave, but Kagome stopped him.

"Why don't you stay here and eat dinner with us?" she said. "It'll be your payment for carrying me around all day." She smiled and Kouga grinned. He would carry her all day, every day, and anywhere she wanted to go without complaint. _'Of course, I can't exactly tell her that...yet. Although the cubs were doing a damn good job of getting the message across earlier.'_ he thought. Kagome grabbed his hand and pulled him into the hut. Sure enough, Kaede and Sango were dishing up the food as soon as they came in. Keiko smiled when she noticed their clasped hands, and scooted over to make room for Kouga at the table. They all ate heartily, taking their time and enjoying it because they all knew Kagome was going home after this. 

When the dishes were washed, and the table cleared, Kagome sighed and picked up her bag, trying to slip out of the hut undetected. She didn't have to actually want to say 'good-bye' to her friends this time because she really didn't know when she was going to come back. As she made her way out to the Bone Eater's well, a quick gust of wind flushed against her. It was Kouga.

"And just where do you think you're going?" he asked. "You didn't even say good-bye." Kagome gave him a weak smile and turned around. He suddenly picked up a small difference in her smell. It smelled familiar, but.different.

"I didn't actually want to have to say 'good-bye'." she said quietly, looking at the grass. "Because I'm not sure how long I'm going to be gone." Kouga took a deep breath and moved closer to her, forgetting about the smell temporarily.

"You will be coming back though, right?" he asked, hoping she hadn't changed her mind suddenly. 

"How many times do I have to tell you? Yes, I'm coming back." she said. " I made a promise you the pups after all, and I intend to keep it. After all, from what the kids say, you are much more agreeable when I'm here." Kouga grinned and sat on the edge of the well, not sure of what to say. Kagome looked at him and a question she had wanted to ask him earlier popped into her head. "Kouga, I want to ask you something about your pack."

"What is it?" he asked, not really paying that much attention.

"Why does everyone of them, from the youngest child to the pack elders, refer to me as 'Lady'?" she asked. "I'm not youkai royalty." Kouga looked up at her and frowned.

"Because they consider you the other leader of my pack." he said vaguely. "The female leader of the pack." Kagome's eyes went wide when she realized what he was saying.

"So, they think that.." 

"They think that one day, you'll join us...as my mate." he said quietly, refusing to look at her face. Kagome was shocked beyond comparison. She had not really thought about why they had always addressed her like that. But now that it sunk in, she realized the implications of what the title meant.

"Kouga.I.." she began slowly, searching for the words to tell him exactly what she was thinking at the moment. Which was hard because she was not sure what she was thinking to begin with. The wolf demon only gave a weak grin and stood up.

"Don't worry about it." he said gently. "It's nothing to worry about."

"But, I don't deserve that title." Kagome said. "I'm not the leader of your pack." Kouga just grinned and shook his head.

"The only reason they say that is because you're the only female that ever comes around that's not a member of the pack." he said. "I don't want what they call you to keep you away from me..I mean.us. If it bothers you, I'll tell them to stop." Kagome shook her head, her confusing thoughts beginning to slowly clear out. "It's just a term of respect, Kagome. It's not like there are a million strings attached to it. It's just a way to show respect to a woman who has earned it. And trust me, you've earned it." He gave her a friendly hug and once again picked up that odd smell, like she was..something. 

Kagome grinned and nodded, not picking up on the slight hesitation.   
"It's alright. Whatever they want to call me, I don't care." she said. Kouga let her go and she sat on the edge of the well. The sun was beginning to set and she smiled. Kouga seemed to have went on silent for the moment. "I just wanted to know. That's all." 

"Not a problem." he answered. "Anything to help." Kagome grinned and stood up from the well wall, dropping her bag onto the ground. She stood in front of Kouga and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. The wolf prince blushed lightly, but smiled none the less.

"That's for everything you've done for me." she said. "I don't know what I'd have done without you here, Kouga. You've helped me so much. Thank you." She smiled and stepped back towards the well, picking up her bag and slinging it onto her shoulder. When he recovered from his temporarily incapacitated speech ability, he walked by her.

"When you come back, be sure to let me know." he said. "It'll be good to see you again. And I think the pups would like to see you again also." For the third time that evening, the odd smell arose and assaulted his senses. Something was different with the miko, but he could not figure out what it was.

"I will." she said. She swung her legs over the side of the well and looked back at Kouga over her shoulders. "I'll see you later, Kouga. Bye." And with that final farewell, she pushed herself off into the well's murky depths. Kouga watched as she disappeared into the darkness, and sighed.

"Good-bye for now, my loving Kagome." 

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A/N : Okie dokie. How'd that one come out? Hmm? Don't you just love it when kids start blabbing things they've heard somewhere else? I think it's hilarious. Anyhow.leave me a review telling me what you think. Love you guys. 

Later. 


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer : It's not mine. It never was.

Kouga went back to his cave that night with a heavy heart. Kagome had left him and went back to her time for who knew how long. When he got back to the cave, he went in and found that the majority of the pack was out on patrols and the children were sleeping. Keiko had come back with him, and she immediately set to straightening things up and putting her herbs back in their proper places. Kouga, on the other hand, was restless. He wanted Kagome back, and he wanted her back NOW. Finally, he left the confines of the cave and went outside to where the springs ran down into the closest village. It was a night full of bright stars, but almost no moon. He sniffed the air carefully, picking up a whiff of Kagome on it. 

"She must have been down here with the children this evening, playing with them." he said quietly. Her sweet smell was mingled in with the normal scents of the forest. The pine trees, the running water, the night time air, and the fragrance of the sakura blooms only enhanced what was already playing in the air. But he also smelled something else. 

He got down off of the boulder he had sat on and found the highest concentrated area of Kagome's scent. Sure enough, he sniffed again, and underneath the smell of the pups, he found it again. There was something different about her scent. It was not as soft as normal. There was something changing in her body that was causing her to give off more pheromones than normal. _'It's probably just her blood time.'_ he thought, dismissing the scent. But something in his mind wouldn't let it drop. He had been around the females in his pack too long, and this was something he had smelled before on them. He just did not know what it was. _'Maybe the last time she used the Shikon it altered her scent.'_ he thought. _'That's crazy. It's never changed her scent before!"_

Shaking his head and taking back to the air for a nighttime run to help clear his mind; he decided to forget about Kagome for a while. She would be back soon, and the more he thought about it, the longer it would seem._ 'I need to find something to occupy myself for a while.'_ he thought desperately. _'Something to get my mind off of her right now.' _Unfortunately, every thought he could possibly come up with always managed to connect itself back to Kagome. 

The stars reminded him of the twinkle in her eyes. The trickle of running water reminded him of her soft laughs. The soothing calls of the nightingales made him think of her soft, loving voice. The warm nighttime air reminded him of her warm skin. Even his own pack members made him think of her because of the children. And no matter where he went, he couldn't seem to get away from her scent. Nor could he forget about the sudden change in her scent. 

He was in for a miserable few weeks

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Meanwhile, in a village a few day's travel from Kaede's..

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Kikyou was tying up the loose ends of a bandage on the village elder's arm when the sun went down. He had cut himself while chopping wood earlier that day and left himself with a rather nasty cut. She had done her best to seal the wound off, but it would take time for it to heal. As she rose from her spot, the village elder thanked her profusely and asked if there was anything he could do to help her. She shook her head and told the man to take it easy the next few days. He only grinned and Kikyou began to walk towards the edge of the village. 

She had been in this village since she had been brought back from the dead. The villagers hadn't suspected a thing, not knowing that she was actually a walking corpse at the time she had appeared to them. They had treated her with the utmost reverence and respect when they had found out she was a miko. As payment for her help in helping the sick and protecting the village, they had built her a small hut right on the outskirts of the village, close to the forest. She had brought Inuyasha here after the incident in the woods the other night with Kagome since he had been told not to come back to Kaede's village by Kagome. 

He was still sulking a whole lot. Kikyou knew that he was still pining for her reincarnate. He had loved Kagome, and she knew that. In fact, she was beginning to think he still loved her deeply, even after she had almost killed him and her both. 

That was exactly what was going to make her revenge so sweet on the both of them. Him, for betraying her with the other miko, and because of his betrayal fifty years ago. Even though it had been Naraku that had tricked her into hurting Inuyasha, she still felt as though he was responsible for it because he had been her weak spot, and Naraku had known it. She would take care of Kagome for taking Inuyasha away from her and causing him to fall so deeply in love with her.

Kikyou gave a wry grin and stepped into her home. Inuyasha was not there. _'Probably gone out to sulk even more.'_ she thought dispiritedly. _'It's okay, Inuyasha. Pine after her all you want. You've made your choice, and now you have to live with it. You turned Kagome down, and you know she's not coming back. Such a pity, my love. Such a pity.'_

Kikyou looked out of the nearby window and saw Inuyasha sitting in a tree, facing back towards Kaede's village. She could tell he was thinking about the girl, and she put on a smile. _'Let's see if I can get her off of your mind for a little while, shall we Inuyasha?'_ And with that final, sadistic thought, she went out the back of the hut to where her lover was sitting. _'I definitely can't have you pouting about her all the time, now can I? It's time to do something about it....'_

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About the same time..

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Sango and Miroku had just dropped Shippou back of with his family and were on their way back to Sango's village. It was getting dark, and the two companions had been traveling all day long. When they had left Shippou with his family, he had told them that if Kagome came back to see them soon to come and tell him. Sango and agreed to it, and she and Miroku had left the hyperactive, overprotective kitsune with his real mother and father. 

They had traveled in silence most of the day. Mainly because of their own individual thoughts on what had transpired between their friends the day before. They were both angry with the hanyou for what he had done to Kagome. Sango was royally pissed off with him. _'I do believe she would have killed him if Kagome had let her.'_ Miroku thought as they pulled out some food and blankets as they made camp. 

He had not tried to talk with Sango while Shippou was with them. At any mention of the white-haired hanyou's name, Shippou would go off on a tangent about _'stupid bakas like him giving other demons a bad name'. _When Sango had finished fixing the food, he sat down beside her and waited. He could tell she wanted to talk, but wasn't sure where to begin. They ate in total silence until finally, Sango's temper broke and she stood up and threw her food to the ground. _'Oh dear, here she goes.'_ he thought.

"I can't believe this!" she said. "Inuyasha should have known better! What was he thinking, going off with that bitch Kikyou! He's lost his mind, or she's done something to him! He loved Kagome, I heard him say it himself...!!" And so on and so forth she went for the next ten minutes, kicking anything that got in the way of her pacing trail. "That's what happens when you give your heart to someone to love! It gets ripped out and threw back in your face! Men! What's there problem anyway?! Always causing problems..." Miroku just watched silently as she fumed. It would do him no good to interrupt her right now, and he knew it. 

Besides, he hadn't been slapped in over two weeks, and he wanted to keep it that way!

Finally, when she calmed down and sat back down, Miroku decided to speak.

"Feel better now that you got that out of your system?" he asked gently, hugging her. Sango pulled out of his embrace and moved away from him. He frowned at the sudden coldness in her disposition towards him. Her anger had obviously spilt over and was now causing some animosity towards him, and he didn't like it. When she pulled away, Miroku wanted to kill Inuyasha himself for upsetting her. 

He had been slowly working Sango's emotional barriers down since they had defeated Naraku. She would let him hold her and hug her now without him getting slapped. He tested the waters with Sango gently, moving slowly because he had waited so long for her to let her guard down and allow him to show her how he felt.

And he was not going to screw it up.

But now, he had a feeling that she was going to throw those carefully constructed barriers up again. And he did not want to loose her because of what had happened to Kagome at the hands of Inuyasha.

"How could he do this to her, Miroku?" she asked quietly. "Kagome's been nothing but good to him the whole time she's been with him, even before we came along."

"I don't know, Sango." he answered. "I don't know why he done this." Sango looked up at him and he could see the tears beginning to form in her eyes. His first instinct was to reach out and hold her, but he held back. She would come to him when she felt like it. He sighed and spread out a blanket to sleep on. "Sometimes people take for granted what they have, and when it's gone they find out that they made a mistake. Now, whether Inuyasha tries to rectify his mistakes or not, I know not."

"It's not right." she said. "Kagome shouldn't have to go through this alone." Miroku gave her a half smile and shook his head.

"She won't be alone long, love." he said. "I have a very strong feeling that Kouga will try to make her feel better now that Inuyasha is out of the way." 

"She doesn't need another guy right now." Sango said angrily. "She's going to have a hard enough time getting over the other one. All he's going to do is confuse her even more." 

"But, you're overlooking one important aspect about Kouga, love." Miroku said gently. 

"What?"

"Kouga does love her. For who she is, not what she isn't." Sango blinked and let the words sink in. It was true. The wolf prince had been pursuing Kagome all throughout their travels. And the way he was treating her the night Kagome left had been no exception.

"How do we know he's not going to get her for a while, then break her heart, just like Inuyasha did. You know as well as I do that those two waged an ongoing war to out do each other." Sango said, the disgust evident in her voice. "Inuyasha had something that Kouga wanted. So, he would treat Kagome like a queen, just trying to get a rise out of Inuyasha. I'll bet he tries to win her heart, then dumps her. Just so that he can prove to Inuyasha he could do it. Sounds like something a man would do." 

Miroku shook his head. _'She's on another man bashing escapade.'_ he thought. _'Great. Just great.'_

"Umm, Sango," he asked quietly. "You do realize that not all men act like Inuyasha does. I do believe that Kouga loves her, and will do what it takes to help her through this."

"He doesn't love her. He's just trying to show Inuyasha up one last time." she said finally. "Love is something that can't be trusted. Someone always winds up getting hurt in the end." 

"Sango, I'm hurt that you would think that." he said. "I would never do anything to you like what Inuyasha's done. How can you say something like that?" 

"How do I know that?" Sango shot back. "How do I know that you'd never leave me for someone else?"

"You don't trust me?" he asked. "After everything we've ever been through, you still don't trust me? Sango, please, don't take your anger for Inuyasha out on me. I've done nothing to deserve this." He looked over at her and could see that her own emotions were running ragged. She started to cry and Miroku's control broke. 

He went over to her and hugged her gently. She cried for her best friend. Cried for what she was going through. And she cried because of her own mixed up feelings about the monk who was holding her at that very moment. She knew he loved her, and she knew she loved him. But her common sense was still telling her to run away from what was happening between the two of them. It confused her to no end. When the tears finally subsided, Miroku looked down at her and smiled.

"Feel better now that you've cursed the whole male side of our species?" he asked. Sango smiled and nodded. 

"Yeah, I do." she said quietly. "I'm sorry, Miroku. I..I do trust you. It's just that.seeing Kagome like that, and knowing that it could happen to us..I don't want to ever have to go through that."

"Don't worry, love." Miroku said, rocking her gently. "If Naraku couldn't break us apart, I highly doubt anyone else will." Sango smiled and pulled her blanket out of her bag. It was time to get some sleep; they had a long walk tomorrow to get back to the village. "You know, Sango, there is a saying that a wise man once told me."

"What? Stay away from mad women?" she asked, punching him in the shoulder. "I think that's something every man is born already knowing."

"No." he answered with a grin. "It was that hate and misunderstanding often give way to something much more powerful than mortals can understand. Something that can change a person's life in the blink of an eye. " Sango nodded, understanding the underlying meaning of the phrase. Miroku stood from his spot and retrieved the other blanket. As Sango spread hers on the ground, Miroku brought it over so they would have something to cover up with. 

"You know," Sango said as they lay down to sleep. "Kagome told me a saying that a wise person once told her also. And I do believe it's true, even five hundred years in the past."

"Really? What was it?" Miroku asked as he pulled Sango closer to him.

"Women's fault's are many. But men have only two. Everything they say, and everything they do." Sango giggled when she heard Miroku groan.

"It had to have been a woman." he said. "Only they can come up with something that cruel for us men." Sango laughed and pulled the covers over her and Miroku. 

It was not too long before the exterminator heard his even breathing and soft snore. She turned over and snuggled up to him. _'I know you'd never do anything to hurt me, Miroku.' _ she thought. _'I just hate to see someone as good as Kagome go through this. We finally get ourselves straightened out, and now Kagome is having problems.'_ She closed her eyes and smiled. _'Besides, I won't let any girl get within a hundred feet of you. So, you're out of luck, monk. You got me. And if you ever want to get rid of me, it's going to be just as hard. I love you, Miroku.'_

**__**

A/N : Okay people. How'd I do? Are they getting worse or better? I can't tell myself, since I have a tendency to lie to myself. Anyway. Leave me a review and tell me what you think. Later. 


	17. CHapter 17

Disclaimer : It's not mine. It never was.

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A/N : Okay everyone. Here comes the next chapter. Hope you guys have like what I've done so far. Anyways, on with the story.

REALLY IMPORTANT: It has been three weeks since Kagome left the Feudal Era. So, technically, I'm speeding things up a little bit. Thanks.  


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I Don't Feel So Good

Kagome bent her head over the toilet again and threw up what was left of her breakfast she had eaten only half an hour ago. She sat on the bathroom floor and tried to keep from passing out. Ever since she had come back from the Feudal Era three weeks ago, she had not been feeling good. It had started with a killer headache and a bad case of cramps. But now, she was blowing chunks every time she ate, and battling a high grade of fever to boot. _'Oh Kami, why me?'_ she thought as the room began to swim around her. She put her head in her hands and tried to stand up from the floor. When everything started moving at a more rapid pace, she immediately sand back down to the floor. 

A knock at the door to the bathroom brought her attention back to the present.

"Kagome?" came a clear voice. "Kagome, are you alright, dear?" It was her mom. Kagome managed to get up and open the door to the bathroom before leaning on the wall. Her mom took one look at her and shook her head. "Young lady, I don't know what's wrong with you, but you're going to the doctor just as soon as I can get you an appointment."

"Mom, I hate going to the doctor. You know that." Kagome whined. "It's probably just a bug that's going around. It'll be gone in a few days." About the time she said that, her stomach gave a violent lurch and she clutched it tightly. Her mother shook her head and helped her get back to her bedroom.

"Kagome, this is no bug." she said patiently. "You've been like this since you came back from the well. That was three weeks ago!"

"I know, mom." she said weakly. "I just don't know what's gotten into me. I've never been this sick before."

"Are you sure this isn't about Inuyasha again?" her mother asked timidly.

"NO!" she yelled as loud as she could. "I don't even want to talk about him right now. I told you what he did to me, mom. I'm not about to waste my time being sick over him." Her mother grinned and pulled the blanket over her, happy that her daughter had not lost her fierce spirit at the hands of the hanyou.

"I'm sorry dear. I just have a hard time believing that he would do that to you. He was such a nice boy...at times." Kagome only groaned and turned over in her bed. Her head was still aching and she felt like she was going to pass out. Her mother shook her head and silently left the room. Something was wrong with Kagome, and she intended on finding out what it was. She went down the stairs and picked up the telephone, dialing the number to the family's doctor.

Later on that evening, Kagome was sitting in the waiting room of the doctor's office waiting for her turn with the doctor. Her mother had dropped her off since she was feeling a tad bit better, telling her that she had to run a major errand and that she would come back to be with her as soon as she got back. Kagome flipped through some magazines sitting on the table and sighed again. She had been in here for over twenty minutes. Finally, the nurse called her back. When she was done asking the routine questions about what was wrong, the nurse left her with an examination gown and told her to put it on, and the doctor would be in there shortly. 

Kagome pulled her shirt off and put the clammy examination gown on. It was big, and she wrapped it around her twice. Because she had not been able to keep any food down in over two weeks, she had lost a bit of weight. Ten minutes later, the doctor came in. She was a portly woman in her mid-forties with an easy smile and a twinkle in her eyes. After going over Kagome's symptoms, she ordered a urinalysis to be done. She gave Kagome a little plastic cup and told her to urinate in it and give it to the person behind the desk. Kagome shrugged and did as she was told, then went back to the examination room. _'This is crazy!'_ she thought. _'I'll bet it's just a case of that fever Kaede was treating in the village when I left. She had said that the children were having high fevers and cramps and couldn't keep anything down. Wonderful! What if it's some kind of virus that hasn't been around since then. How am I supposed to explain that I caught the Feudal Era version of the freakin' bubonic plague that hasn't been around for five hundred years?'_ She opened the door to the examination room and found her mother sitting there, flipping through a magazine. Kagome told her that they had ordered a urinalysis to be done. Her mother only nodded and continued to read her magazine. Kagome, wearied from the little walk, climbed onto the examination bed and closed her eyes, willing her stomach to calm down and go back to normal.

About twenty minutes later, the doctor came back with a clipboard in her hand and a smile on her face. She introduced herself to Kagome's mother and took out her pen.

"Well, Kagome." she said. "I am happy to say that you aren't going to die anytime soon." Kagome grinned meekly and nodded.

"So what's wrong with me?" she asked. "Why do I feel this bad?"

"Well, dear. You actually have two things that are causing you two feel bad."

"Two?" her mother asked. "What are they?"

"Well, Kagome, you seem to have caught a rare form of the flu. I had the lab run every test possible on it after they isolated it. It hasn't been around for a very long time. That's what's making you have the headaches and the fever. It is also a factor in your ability not to hold down any solid food."

"Okay. So what else is wrong with me?" Kagome asked. The doctor smiled. 

"You are also approximately five weeks pregnant, Kagome. Congratulations."

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A/N : Okay, how many people probably want to smack me with something right now for doing this to her (raise your hands). Ewww, that's a lot of people! Anyway, leave me a review and tell me what your thinking. Later.


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer - It's not mine, never was. 

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Okay, all I have to say to everyone that reviewed is…..THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Anyway, here's the next chapter. Hope you like it. And, to answer a few questions please read below. Ahem:

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Okay everyone. I know that a lot of you are wondering if Inuyasha is the father of the child. Just to clarify a few things. 

He is. 

-Go back and read the chapter when Kagome is about to go home after the wish on the Shikon. Needless to say, I've never wrote a lemon before, and I didn't think it would be a good time to try.-

Now, I know that's going to make some people mad, but just deal with me here. I know how I want to make this story to sound. So give me a chance. Later.

Now What??

Kagome looked at the lady like she had grown three extra heads and sprouted green tentacles from her hands. Her mind was reeling to process the information she had just been given. She looked over and noticed that her mother's face had went three shades of pastey before settling on ghostly white. _'This can't be happening to me.'_ Kagome thought quickly. _'I can't be pregnant. I just left Inuyasha so he could go to that wench Kikyou.' _She shook her head and frowned. The quick thought of the last time she and Inuyasha were together flitted across her mind. She done some quick calculations and figured that it had been about five weeks ago. She groaned again and shook her head.

"You must be mistaken, doctor." she said weakly. "I can't be pregnant. It's just not possible." The doctor looked at her and shook her head.

"I'm afraid that you are, Kagome." the lady asked. "Is this an unplanned occurrence?"

"You have no idea." her mother answered softly. The doctor looked between mother and daughter and decided that they needed some time to speak without her there. The old lady had seen this happen many times before, and very seldom did it end up in the unwanted child being born.

"Well, seeing as how this is a shock to you both," the lady said. "I'll leave it to you two to discuss for a while. I will send the prescriptions by one of my nurses. After that, you are free to go." Kagome and her mother nodded, and the doctor noticed that there were tears in Kagome's eyes. _'It is sad. To see such a wonderful girl like Kagome put in a situation like this. She doesn't deserve it.'_ the lady thought as she left the room. Kagome sat there in silence for a few moments before she could no longer hold back the tears. Her mother stood up and grasped her daughter in a warming embrace, saying nothing, only letting her get it out of her system. Finally, Kagome straightened herself up and looked up to her mother.

"Mom?" she asked quietly.

"What is it, baby?" her mother asked warmly. Truth be told, Rei Higurashi did not like the idea of Kagome being pregnant, especially if the unfaithful Inuyasha was the father, but there was nothing she could do about it now. Kagome had made her choice, and now she must deal with the consequences of her actions. She knew how hard it was to raise a child by yourself, and she did not want Kagome to have to go through that. Even if Inuyasha wanted nothing to do with the child, Rei would be there for Kagome for moral support. She would need it in the coming months.

"Are…are you mad at me?" she asked. Rei looked down at her daughter, tears beginning to fill her own eyes.

"I'm not mad at you, Kagome." she said quietly, pushing some of the girl's hair behind her ears. "A little shocked, and maybe a little disappointed, but I'm not mad at you." Kagome nodded and her mother held her again. She felt like a little girl again, in her mother's loving embrace. It was comforting. And it gave her a sense of stability as her mind raced with question after question. Her mother was her rock. And right now, she was clinging on for dear life.

There was a knock at the door and the mother and daughter separated as the nurse walked in and handed Kagome the prescriptions for the medicine to help her to hold down some food. 

"Doctor Kuyami said to tell you that she gave you the number to a doctor you might want to speak with about your pregnancy." the nurse said. "She is a specialist who has helped many of our patients before." Kagome nodded and the lady gave her a sympathetic look before turning back out the room. Kagome watched her go, wondering what kind of doctor it was. She shook her head and put her clothes back on.

"Let's get out of here." she said. Her mother nodded and they left the doctor's office. 

On their way home, Rei broached the subject with her gently. 

"Are you going to tell him?" she asked suddenly. Kagome looked over to her other, but said nothing.

"I don't know yet." she said. "If he gets anywhere near me, he's going to know I'm pregnant." She shifted in her seat and laid her hands across the bottom of her abdomen. "I don't want to tell him right now."

"You do need to tell him, though, Kagome." her mother chided gently. "It is his child also." 

"Not if I've got anything to say about it." Kagome muttered quietly. _'This child will not have to put up with an unfaithful father. If Inuyasha finds out that I'm pregnant, with his kid none the less, he'll be too scared to do anything. He's hatred for me will spill over to our child, just because it's half mine. No, it will be a long while before he even finds out.' _

"What are we going to tell Souta and grandpa?" Rei asked. Kagome groaned, knowing this was going to be hectic. 

"Can we just not tell them right now?" she asked. "I want some time to think about this. I will tell them, and everyone else, in a few days. Just not right now." 

"That's fine." her mother said. "Are you going back to the Warring States any time soon?"

"I…I don't know." Kagome answered truthfully. "I wasn't planning on it. But there are a few questions I need answers for. Kaede should know what I need. If I do go back, I won't be gone for more than a day or so."

"What about Inuyasha?" her mom asked. "Won't he be there also?"

"He's probably with Kikyou right now." she said. "I have a feeling that after that last time I was there, he relocated his sorry ass to wherever that wench was." Her mother gave a small nod and turned her attention back to the road. 

They said nothing else as they made their way back to the shrine. Each one was lost in her own thoughts. Rei's centered on the memories of raising her children after her husband had died. Kagome's however, was centered on what she was going to do about this child. When they finally got home and out of the car, Kagome turned to her mother and hugged her. 

"What was that for, honey?" she asked, surprised.

"For everything." Kagome answered. "Thank you, mom." Rei only smiled and hugged her daughter. 

"Don't worry, honey." she said. "We'll make it through this together." Kagome smiled and went into the house, telling her mom that she was going to take a nap. She ran into Souta on the way to her room.

"What's wrong, sis?" he asked. "You gonna keel over on us, or what?" Kagome rolled her eyes and grinned.

"No, I've just got a bad case of the flu." she said. Souta shook his head, but Kagome decided to have a little fun. She clutched her stomach and widened her eyes. Her other hand reached out to her little brother, pretending to steady herself on him. "Ohhh, I think I've got to throw up again." Souta's eyes got wide and he sprinted down the hallway, yelling at Kagome to go to the bathroom to throw up because he was not a toilet. She smiled and went into her bedroom. Pulling the covers back, she stretched out onto her bed and began to wonder exactly how she was going to get herself out of this one. She could feel the tears of anger and shame start going down her face when she finally realized what was going to happen to her life now that she was pregnant, but there was a bit of happiness in her as well when she realized that she would be giving life to a baby that was hers. It was not long before the comforting hands of sleep lulled her into a sweet oblivion. 

Kagome spent the rest of the evening in her room, alternating between sleeping and brooding over what she had gotten herself into. She knew that she needed to tell Inuyasha, no matter how much she did not want to. After all, it was his child also. The sad part about the whole ordeal was that she was not as upset about the unplanned pregnancy now. She still loved Inuyasha deep down, and she knew that. He had been her first love, and things like that are not easily forgotten by anyone. She knew he was never going to love her the way that he loved Kikyou, or at least he never would in her mind. _'It's just going to take some time. But I need to speak with Kaede first.' _Her hand strayed to her abdomen and she shook her head. _'Well, if I can't have him, then I can have his child.'_ she thought. 

Right before she went to eat dinner, she decided to go back to the Warring States the next day. She had originally planned to go in a few days, but she figured the sooner he knew about it, the better. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself to face her mother, brother, and grandfather. _'I'll tell grandpa and Souta when I get back.'_ she thought. 

After dinner, she returned to her room and brooded over how she was going to break the news to Kaede and the others. She already knew the reactions that were going to come. _'Sango and Shippou will want to kill him, that's a given. Kaede will only nod and hug me because by that time I will be crying my eyes out again. Miroku, there's no telling what he'll do. Although I don't think he will want to hurt Inuyasha……..too bad. As for Kouga….OH SHIT!!!! What am I going to tell Kouga? I can't go with him to see the children now! His entire pack will know! Oh, Kami!!! He's the one I've got to worry about tracking down Inuyasha and killing him!' _As her anger mounted again, she felt the slight pulse of the Shikon Jewel in her body. 

It had been reabsorbed into her after the wish, granting her the use of the jewel when she needed it. She clutched her side as a quick wave of the power escaped her body. _'That's odd.'_ she thought. _'I've never felt it do that before, except the night that I confronted Kikyou and Inuyasha.'_ She shook her head and chalked it up to her nerves. She pulled back the covers on her bed and crawled in. _'I'll ask Kaede about it tomorrow.'_ she said. _'There are still a few things I need to ask her about what's going to happen to me now that I'm pregnant with a hanyou's child.'_

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A/N - Okay, I know this is short. I've got another one coming up for you guys. Remember, leave me a review to say what you think. Later.


	19. Chapter 19

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Disclaimer - It's not mine. It never was. 

A/N- Okay. Here is the next installment in this crazy story. I hope you all enjoy. Later

Sometimes the Truth is the Hardest Thing to Face 

About noon the next day, Kagome was standing at the Bone Eater's Well wondering if indeed she was doing the right thing by going back. She heard a door creak and turned around to find her mother standing there. Kagome could not meet her mother's soft gaze. It was true that Rei was not mad at Kagome for getting pregnant. In fact, she was looking forward to the idea of being a grandmother, now that the shock had worn off. It was her own father that had her worried. _'Father never did like Inuyasha that much.'_ Rei thought as she looked at her daughter. _'I hope he doesn't go crazy when she tells him.'_

"How long are you going to be gone, dear?" she asked her daughter. Kagome turned her head to the side and shrugged.

"I'll be back in a few days." she answered. "I wanted to tell Sango and Miroku also, but they have moved to another village, and it is going to take me a day or so to get there. I should be back in about four days. If I need to stay any longer, I'll come home and tell you guys before hand." Rei nodded and moved to hug her daughter. It was obvious to the older woman that Kagome was on the verge of crying again. She consoled her daughter as best she could, knowing that it was at least a little helpful. If she could have, Rei would have went to tell the others for Kagome. But, that was not possible, and she knew it.

"Will you be okay?" she asked. "I don't want you to go back and try to face him too soon. If you want to, you can wait." Kagome shook her head and pulled her backpack up to her shoulders. 

"No, mom." she said. "The sooner he finds out, the better."

"Do you think this will change his mind, and make him come back to you?" Rei asked. Kagome stiffened up and pulled out of her mom's arms.

"I don't know." she replied. "But I do know that I won't take him back." Rei looked a little surprised at the curtness in her daughter's voice. 

"Why not?" the older woman asked. "If he makes an effort….."

"Because if he cheated on me one time, he's likely to do it again. And my child will not have a father who can't decide which woman he wants." Rei nodded in understanding and hugged Kagome one last time before she sat on the edge of the well and dangled her feet into its depths.

"Kagome, you do know that whatever you decide, I will stand behind you one hundred percent." Rei said slowly, quietly. Kagome nodded and gave her mom a hug and a kiss before slipping down into the well. Her mom watched as the dark nothingness enveloped Kagome, taking her back 500 years into the past. 

*******************************************************

Kagome climbed out of the well and threw her bag onto the ground. She looked up into the sky and smiled. It was a beautiful day in the Warring States. The sun was shining brightly, and there were birds singing in the trees that surrounded the well. She gave a half hearted grin and shouldered her bag. _'Well, I'm not going to get to Kaede's just standing around here, am I?'_ she asked herself. And with that, she slowly began to make her way towards the old miko's village, hoping against hope that she would find some answers to her questions. 

*******************************************************

Kouga was flying low over the tops of the trees when he picked up the familiar scent of Inuyasha. He stopped and landed in a clearing, the dirt and dust sweeping away from him as his feet touched the ground. He sniffed again and caught the hanyou's scent again, this time more strongly._ 'Yes, it's time for dog-boy to pay for what he done to Kagome.' _ Following his nose to where the scent ended, he looked up into the tree tops and saw the red of Inuyasha's coat. 

The wolf prince had been aching to get a fist full of the hanyou's hair since the whole mess had went down three weeks ago. His own mind told him to beat some sense into the insolent half demon, but Kagome's face would loom in front of him every time he made to beat the other young hanyou into the ground. She would not want him to hurt Inuyasha, and he knew it. _'She's too damn kind hearted at times.'_ he thought angrily. Kouga's mindset was simple when it came to the hanyou.

  
Inuyasha had hurt Kagome.

He, Kouga, loved Kagome.

Therefore, he was going to hurt Inuyasha.

The hanyou was obviously asleep, and Kouga smirked. Where they were standing was actually not far from Kaede's village. _'Dog face has guts, coming back here after Kagome all but banned him from the village.'_

"Hey! Dog breath!" he yelled. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with that bitch Kikyou?" Inuyasha's eyes popped open and he quickly looked down. He had fallen asleep and was surprised to hear someone below him. When he laid eyes on the wolf demon, he growled and put his hand on the hilt of Tetsusaiga.

"What do you want, wolf?" he growled. "You have no business here." He dropped down onto the ground and stood up, his hand still on the hilt of the sword. Kouga smirked and decided to tease the hanyou for a while. _'What the hell, at least I'll get a kick out of it. Even if I can't get a good kick in his ass.'_

"My business concerns Lady Kaede." he said simply, folding his arms across his chest. "I was on my way to inquire as to when Lady Kagome would be coming back. However, I guess I could pick up some trash along the way and dispose of it accordingly." With that simple statement, Inuyasha's temperature soared towards the heavens. "Besides, Lady Kagome promised to come back to the pack and play with the pups. They're getting rather anxious to see her, as is the rest of my pack." He chuckled and shook his head. "It seems as though my pack has chosen my future mate for me. Not that I'm complaining of course."

"You stay away from Kagome, you damn wolf!" he yelled. "You've got no right to be anywhere near her!" Kouga smirked and leaned against the trunk of a nearby tree.

"I think I have more right than you do, hanyou." he spat out. "I wasn't the one who broke her heart." He watched as the hanyou's face flashed his emotions like a light show. Kouga could tell that the half demon still cared deeply for Kagome. It would be impossible not to see it. 

Inuyasha was slowly loosing his grip on reality. Just the thought of Kagome with the wolf made his blood boil. He unsheathed the now transformed Tetsusaiga and pointed it towards the wolf prince.

"If I ever catch you near her, you're a dead wolf." he said fiercely. He walked closer towards Kouga, but the wolf demon never moved. "You'll only hurt her."

"And I take it that you won't?" he asked. Inuyasha held the blade at the demon's face and growled. "Where is Kikyou, by the way?"

"I made a mistake." he said. "And I intend to rectify that mistake." Kouga laughed and shook his head. Tetsusaiga's blade was mere inches from his face, but it did not phase him.

"It's too late now, doggy boy." he said. "Kagome won't take you back, no matter how much you beg, plead, or cry out to her."

"You know nothing of her." Inuyasha spat. Kouga's temper soared then.

"I know enough, dog." he said, finally getting angry. "I know that she is a good woman who doesn't deserved to be tossed aside like some overused toy. I know that she has a caring heart that looks for the good in everyone. I know she's strong, and resourceful. I also know that she is a woman. And once a woman's heart has been broken, no matter if she's demon or human, it's very seldom that they will open it back up to the one that broke it to begin with." Kouga stepped back from the blade and shook his head. "How long did she wait for you, hanyou? How many times did you run to Kikyou when you knew that there was this wonderful girl who adored you, and would do anything for you?"

"Shut up!" Inuyasha said, his hands itching to get a hold on the arrogant tribe leader's face.

"How many times did she come back to you?" Kouga went on, snapping at the hanyou. "How long have you known that she loved you, and yet you turned from her? How many times do you think her heart has been broken by you? How many times has she put herself in danger, when you were in your human form, to protect you. Only because she loved you unconditionally. And she very seldom asked for anything in return."

"I SAID SHUT UP!!!" Inuyasha screamed. The angry hanyou lunged at the prince, swinging Tetsusaiga with a force he had never know before. The wolf prince barely dodged the attack, as the wave of energy released form the blade split the tree he had been leaning up against in half. Kouga took a few shaky steps back and looked at the hanyou again. 

"I promised Lady Kagome that I wouldn't lay a hand on you." he said. "Unless, of course, you gave me a good reason to. And at the rate you're going, I'm finding a good reason not to kill you now." 

"I don't have time to fool with you." the hanyou said. "You're not worth my time." Kouga smirked and took back to the air again. 

"As I said, I must go speak to Lady Kaede. She will know what Lady Kagome will return to me." Inuyasha watched until the arrogant wolf was out of sight. 

"It doesn't matter." he said. "The minute she steps out of that well, I'll know it. Then, I can figure out exactly what I need to do to get back on her good side." With that, he hopped back up into the tree and settled into the crook of the branch. 

*******************************************************

Kaede was on her way out of her home when she stopped dead in her tracks. There, standing right in front of her home, talking with some of the villagers, was her sister, Kikyou. _'What in Kami's name is she doing here?'_ the older miko thought. She stepped down and into the street, staring at her sister. When Kikyou noticed her sister coming out of her home, she sent the children off to play and faced her sibling.

"Sister." she acknowledged, nodding her head in Kaede's direction.

"Kikyou." the old woman said in a low tone. "What brings you here?" She did not want the excuse for her sister to be in her village. It only meant trouble was brewing. 

"I am in need of some information, Kaede." Kikyou said quietly, getting straight to the point. "Some information concerning the Shikon no Tama."

"You were once it's keeper, Kikyou." Kaede said stiffly. "What do you need to know from me?"

"I want to know how long Kagome has been able to fully wield the power of the Shikon." Kikyou said stiffly. Kaede shook her head.

"Lady Kagome mastered the power of the jewel long ago. Her sacred arrows are pure and can purify anything or anyone." Kaede said. "Why do you want to know?" 

Kikyou snickered and pulled her hand out of her robes. Taking the bow off of her back, she knocked an arrow and sent it flying towards Kaede's hut. Before the arrow hit its mark, a bright pink light enveloped the arrow. Kaede stared in fear and astonishment as the purifying arrow hit it's mark. A flash of pink light escaped, and surrounded the hut. _'This is not good.'_ Kaede thought. _'Not good at all.' _Unfortunately for Kikyou, Kaede and the villagers were not the only ones who saw the little display of miko energy. 

Kouga had landed behind the hut only minutes before hand. He had picked up Kikyou's scent and was waiting to see what would happen, and what had brought Inuyasha's bitch this close to the village. He crept around the side of the hut and carefully peered out, only to find the older and younger miko's in a death glare.

"That is why I wanted to know, sister." Kikyou said stiffly. "I am regaining my power that I once held when I protected the Shikon Jewel. I lost it when the guardianship was passed to Kagome. But now, I seem to be regaining it back." Kaede watched her sister in silence as she turned her back and began to walk away. "Thank you, sister." she said coldly. "Now that I know what I need, I can find out what is going on with the Shikon's power."

Kaede watched as her older sister walked towards the edge of the forest and disappeared into it's depths. _'Oh, this is not good. If Kikyou regains her full power of the Shikon, she is liable to kill Lady Kagome.'_ The old miko straightened up and picked up her basket from where she had dropped it. However Kouga decided to come out and find out what had happened.

"Lady Kaede." he called out. Kaede turned around and nodded in the wolf demon's direction. Kouga walked up to the old woman and frowned.

"Lord Kouga." the miko said. "How are you today?"

"Cut the small talk, Lady Kaede." he growled out. "What was the hanyou's bitch doing here?" Kaede shook her head and frowned.

"She is searching out information about the Shikon Jewel." Kaede said slowly, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "It seems as though she is slowly regaining her hold of the Jewel's power. This does not look promising."

"Is there anything we can do? Is Kagome in any danger?" he asked quickly. 

"We will wait until Lady Kagome comes back to question her." Kaede said. "I have a feeling we will be seeing her shortly." Kouga's eyes suddenly dropped the evil hatred they had been showing with the mention of Kikyou. _'She said Kagome's going to be back soon.'_ he thought happily. Kaede smiled as the look of loving passed over the young man's eyes. "Well, Kouga, I am afraid that I must make a call to some villagers that need my assistance. I must be going."

"When will Kagome be back?" he asked suddenly. He did not want her running into Kikyou on her way down here. If that happened, he was sure a fight would ensure. Kaede smiled and pushed the basket of herbs onto her arm.

"I think you should go to the well and wait for her." the miko said. "Lady Kagome should be back soon, how soon I know not, but soon."

"Thank you, Kaede." the wolf mumbled. The aged miko only nodded and started to walk off. Kouga stopped her once again.

"Lady Kaede." he asked. "Isn't Kikyou your sister?" The old woman stopped dead in her tracks for the second time in under half an hour. Without even turning back to face the wolf demon, she told him.

"Yes, Kouga. Kikyou was once my sister." she said in a tone that make chills go down the demon's spine. "However, that thing that was just here was not my sister, only the shallow shell of the woman that once was. My true sister died many years ago." The old miko began to walk off again, leaving Kouga to stare in bewilderment at the way she had turned on her own family. In his confusion, he did not pick up the smell of the one, lonely salty tear that trailed its way down the woman's face. 

He did not have time to contemplate the obvious family treachery because a shift in the wind brought a sweet smell to his nose and a smile to his face. _'Kagome.'_ he thought happily. He inhaled again, and his heart stopped. Shaking his head to make sure he wasn't going delusional, he sniffed again. _'I smell her, but I also smell the scent of ……pregnancy!? This can't be right! She can't be pregnant!'_ He suddenly remembered that the hanyou was not far away from the village. With that thought, he took off towards the path that led to the Bone Eater's Well as fast as he could.

*******************************************************

About the same time, Inuyasha's nose picked up the scent of Kagome. He sighed and jumped down from the tree, adjusting the Tetsusaiga as he went. _'I might as well get this over with.'_ he thought. He sniffed the air again and froze solid. Kagome's scent was tinged with the scent of a new life. _'No. There's got to be some mistake. This can't be real.'_ he thought, panicking at the thought of Kagome being pregnant. He shook his head and took off towards the Bone Eater's well as fast as he could go. _'It's probably just one of the women in the village who's with child. That scent just mingled with Kagome's. That's all it is. Kagome's not pregnant.'_ he thought as he made it out of the clearing. But even through all his rationalizing, and justifying, he knew that something was not right with Kagome…and that he more than likely had something to do with it.

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A/N - Okay people. Hope you enjoyed. Remember to leave me a review and tell me what you think. Later.


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer - It's not mine, although I wish it was.

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_A/N - Hello everyone. I hope you are enjoying this story. Anyway, thanks to everyone who has reviewed. I love all of you people._

The Proposal

Sango picked up a few more pieces of clothing and threw them in the pile by the river's bank. She had been suckered into doing the laundry by her mother. She usually hated doing the washing, but she really did not mind today. Her mother had been grating on her nerves for the past few days, and she was at her breaking point. Add to that that fact the Miroku was off in another village doing an exorcism and was not due back for a few more days did not help her already frayed nerves. She sighed and shook her head. She missed the lecherous monk, and it was driving her nuts knowing that. Ever since he had left, she had wondered what he was doing and where he was. She finally realized that she was going to drive herself nuts if she kept on thinking about it, and quit.

"Humph. Lot of good that's done." she said mildly, looking up towards the East. He had been on her mind for days now. And it did not seem to be getting any easier.

The sun was out today, and it was quickly warming up. Sango bent down to retrieve another article of clothing when she heard the voice of her younger brother coming up behind her. She stood up from her washing and turned around to see Kohaku coming up towards the river, holding a basket. She squinted her eyes and looked beside him. Miroku was walking with him, holding another, bigger basket of bedding. 

Her heart jumped for joy to see him again. He was safe and back in the village. A large smile came to her face, but she schooled her features to her normal expression, not really wanting the monk to know how much she had missed him during his week and a half leave of absence. _'It'll only make his ego worse if he knew I actually worried about him.' _ she thought. She suddenly frowned and shook her head as she realized how much more work they were bringing her to do. When the boys sat the baskets at her feet, she sighed.

"Sorry, sis." Kohaku said with a frown. "But mother wants all the bedding washed and cleaned. I tried to talk her out of it, but as you can see, it didn't work too well."

"It's alright, Kohaku." she said. "I'll get it done quickly enough." The little boy only shrugged and took back off down the path from the river. Sango waited until he was out of hearing range before turning to Miroku.

"You're back early." she said, kneeling down to pull some of the blankets out. "We weren't expecting you back for a few more days." Miroku only grinned and shrugged, quickly taking in the view of the one woman he loved. Something tugged at his brain though, she was acting different than when he had left. He shook it off and continued on with the conversation.

He had left to go to another village a few days away to perform an exorcism for a rather well-to-do family. It had not taken long, and on his way back he had come across a village that had a smith that specialized in the shaping of softer metals. He had come up with a sudden idea and asked the smith if he could make something for him. After giving the smith the specifications, Miroku had waited until the man had finished before continuing on his journey. He now looked down at Sango and smiled, knowing she would like the present he had in his pocket for her. But she was not going to get it now. He had a plan as to how he was going to give it to her, and all he had to do was be patient and wait.

"My work in the village was shorter than I had expected." he answered. He inconspicuously patted his pocket and smiled, but Sango was doing her best to concentrate on her work, and not on him. It was not working.

"Good." she said. "Since you don't seem to be too worn out, you can get down here and help me."

"But Sango, a man should not be seen doing a woman's work. It is unhonorable." He hid a smirk as he noticed her temper start to come out. Sango cut her eyes up at him and shook her head.

"Look, if you want a clean bed to sleep in tonight, I suggest you quit whining and get down here." she said firmly. "I see you've already put your traveling cloak and bedding in here."

"You know me well, Sango dear." he said, kneeling down next to her and gripping one fo the blankets she was working on.

"Sometimes too well, I think." she said. Miroku grinned and waited until they pulled the heavy blanket out of the river and twisted it dry before turning to her again. He had missed her, and now he was about to show her how much. Before she could reach down to get another blanket, he gathered her up and hugged her tightly.

"I missed you." he said quietly, pulling her hair out of the tie and letting it cascade down her back. "You don't realize how much I missed you."

The woman smiled and snuggled up to the monk, completely forgetting about the façade of indifference she was supposed to be upholding. No matter how much she told herself that he was trouble, or that he was a lecher, or that he was going to hurt her in the end, she could not help but love him. She was glad he was back, and safe within the village. She had missed him desperately for the past week and a half, but she had tried to hide it. Now that he was back, she sighed in contentment when she felt his hands run through her hair and down her spine. 

"I missed you too, Miroku." she said quietly. "I'm glad you're back." The monk held her tighter and smiled. She was slowly letting him into her heart, and he could not have been happier. 

"I'm happy to be back, love." he said. She only smiled and pulled out of his embrace after a while.

"As much as I'd love to stay like this all day," she said. "I'm afraid I've got work to finish."

"Yes, and it seems as though I've made your burden a tad heavier." he said with a grin.

"Don't worry about it." Sango said. "I'll get them finished before long. I've done mother and father's and mine already. Just yours and Kohaku's to do now." Miroku grinned and bent down to hand Sango her brother's clothing.

"Do Kohaku's first." he said lightly. Sango looked at him with a perplexed expression and cocked her head to one side.

"Why does it matter whose I do first?" she asked, wondering what the monk was getting at. Miroku gave her a lecherous grin and smirked.

"Well, I can always share your bed if the bedding is not cleaned yet." he said smoothly. Sango gave him a scandalous look which was tinged with a pink blush of her cheeks. He always knew how to push her buttons. Miroku chuckled and waited for her to lash out at him with a quick slap to his face. But it never came, he looked on in mild surprise as her expression softened into a grin. 

"I should have seen that one coming." she said, kneeling down on the bank.

Miroku blinked rapidly. He usually got a good slap on the face for saying something like that to her. Sango had been rather testy after their last visit to Kaede's. When they had found out about Inuyasha and Kikyou, she had cursed the entire male side of the species for two days afterwards. Up until he had left a week and a half ago, Miroku had been trying his best to get her back to the old Sango. She had seemed colder towards him until then, and he knew it was because she was afraid of getting hurt, much like Kagome had. 

But now, he was worried that something was wrong because she had not seemed as distant when he and Kohaku had come to the river. It was like her personality had done a one hundred and eighty degree turn around while he was gone. She was more receptive of him suddenly. He smiled, knowing that the thick walls that kept her strong emotions in check, the walls around her feelings and her heart, were beginning to crumble. _'And I've got just the thing to knock the last one down, love.'_ he though smugly. 

"Sango, by the way, I was told to tell you that your mother and father are leaving for a meeting of village leaders in a few hours." Sango looked up and frowned. Her parents had not said anything about going to a village meeting. Miroku noticed the surprised look and continued on quickly. "They said that they would come to say goodbye before they left. You mother said you needed to finish the washing, and that she'd come get what you had finished with before they left so that you wouldn't have so much to carry back." Sango shrugged and went back to her washing.

"That's fine." she said warmly. Miroku nodded and picked his staff up from the tree. He turned to leave when Sango stopped him. She did not really want him to leave already, but he obviously had something to do, or he would have stayed near her.

"Where you going, Miroku? I could use some company down here." He grinned and walked over to her, pulling her up by her shoulders. Looking at her with nothing but love in his eyes he kissed her gently and let her go. Sango's face turned a little pink, but she did not do anything. She liked the attention he was giving her, so she was not about to do something to stop it.

"I'm sorry love, but your father has commissioned young Kohaku and I to make sure everything is secured before he leaves." Sango groaned but nodded. Her father could be paranoid at times.

"That's fine. Just tell mother that she can come get some of these baskets." she said with a smile.

"I will, love." he said gently. He gave her another quick kiss and turned to leave her. Sango was surprised at his boldness, but did not mind. When he left her, she kneeled back down and tried to concentrate on the washing in front of her. Unfortunately, the only thing her mind settled on was the picture of Miroku. _'Uhhh, crazy monk. Now that you're back, I'll never be able to get my mind back on what I need to do. I can't get my work done when you're here, and I can't get it done when you're gone.'_ she thought angrily. But inside, she smiled, knowing that it was not his fault she could not concentrate. Her hands unconsciously went to her lips. They were still tingling from the kiss he had given her. She shook her head. _'I've got it bad for that lecherous, hentai monk.' _ she thought. _'What am I thinking?' _ With a small smile on her lips, she continued to work, oblivious to everything around her.

Miroku walked a ways up the road and turned back around to look at the woman bent over the bank of the river. He patted his pocket and smiled. He had left her a note at the bottom of the biggest basket of dirty clothes. He wanted to give her the present he had had made for her. And after speaking briefly with Kohaku about what her mother and father would be doing this evening, his plan had come to him out of the blue. She would get her present, but she was going to have to work for it. _'Now, I just need to wait until you come to me.'_ he said with a grin. 

*****Later that evening*****

Sango pulled the last piece of bedding from the basket and sighed. _'Finally, I'm finished.'_ she thought. She began to fold the quilt when a folded up piece of paper fluttered to the ground. She finished folding the blanket before stooping down to retrieve the paper. She opened it and glanced over the handwriting.

Sango, I've got something for you that I picked up on my last travel. Meet me in the clearing beyond the break of the tree line. Don't worry about Kohaku. He is staying with one of the village boys tonight and will not be home until tomorrow. Miroku

She looked down at the paper and frowned. He had something for her? _'What is he up to?'_ she thought. _'And why does he want me to meet him in the clearing past the tree line break. He knows what happened the last time we were there.'_ She shook her head and pulled the last basket up to her hip and began walking towards her home. The whole time, her mind was swimming with confusion. She did not want to go back to the clearing. The last time they had been there, she had almost done something she was going to regret later on. 

*Flashback*

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Sango pushed her way through the underbrush and into the clearing, looking behind her for the crazy monk that was chasing after her. She did not have much time to think, because a pair of strong arms wrapper around her and pinned her to a nearby tree.

"I got you." came Miroku's husky voice. "Now you're going to get your punishment for pushing me into that river." Sango grinned and waited, knowing he would not do anything to her….

It was late that evening when Sango and Miroku decided to take a walk. Sango was in a good mood, and it showed through to everyone. Miroku only smiled and caught up with the girl as they walked towards the main river outside of the village. They had been walking along the bank when he had said something stupid and she had pushed him into the water. Instead of moving away from the bank like any normal person would do, Sango stood there and smiled as a dripping wet Miroku came up from the water's surface. 

"I hoped that cooled you off, Miroku." she said with a smile. He had only grinned and rushed out of the water quicker than she had expected, grabbing her and pulling her into the deeper part of the water. After dumping her in the still cool water, he got out and began wringing his robes out. 

He looked out over the water and frowned after a few minutes. Sango hadn't come up yet. He watched as the ripples from their escapades faded into the running water of the river, and began to panic. She had not come up yet, and it had been over two minutes since he had gotten out. He waded back into the water and started calling her name when he heard the branch above him move. He looked up and shook his head. She had somehow gotten out of the water and climbed up the tree without him knowing. Sango grinned and jumped from the low lying branch, effectively knocking Miroku back into the water. She grinned and pulled her wet hair out of her face. Miroku came up spluttering.

"Sango!" he yelled out playfully. "Let me get my hands on you, and you're going back into the middle of this river!" Sango smiled and waved her hand at him. 

"You've got to catch me first, monk." she said as she started running away from the river. It did not take long and Miroku was following her, shouting out what he was going to do when he got to her. Now, she was caught between a very wet Miroku and a huge tree. 

Not a good place to be.

She shivered as the wind rushed across them, causing their wet clothing to cool against their skin. Both of them were breathing hard from the chase and Sango's back was pushed up against Miroku's chest. She took a few deep breaths and calmed herself down. The run in wet clothing had tired her down, but she still had enough energy to play Miroku's little game.

"Well, now that you've caught me, monk, what are you going to do? Throw me back into the river?" she asked haughtily. He had only chuckled and turned her around so that her back was against the tree trunk. Sango looked up at him and noticed that glint was in his eyes again. The same one that told her that he was about to pull something on her.

  
"No. I've got a better idea." he said. Before she could get out another word, Miroku had grabbed her lips in a hungry kiss that left her breathless. Her mind had suddenly went blank, and her body tensed up. When he finally pulled away from her, Sango opened her eyes, only to find a smirking Miroku in front of her. "I think that was better than dumping you in the river again." he said. "Wouldn't you agree, Sango?"

Sango was too dazed to actually say much to him, so she just nodded in response, blinking her eyes to clear her vision of stars she was seeing. Miroku grinned and leaned down to resume his ministrations on her. Before she knew it, he had her pushed up against the tree trunk, her shirt open and exposing herself to him. Her head was swimming as the new and different feelings coursed through her. The bark against her back was rough, but Miroku was kissing her senseless; so she didn't really take notice of anything besides him. She reveled in the feel of Miroku up against her, but she realized that they were getting in deep. Almost too deep for her liking. But a sudden feeling came over her, and she did not care about anything anymore, only the man in front of her.

Unfortunately, someone decided to bring the tryst to an end right then and there. The sharp scratch of hearing someone clear their throat brought her our of her hazy stupor. She quickly looked to her left, as did Miroku and saw one of the other girls from the village standing at the edge of the clearing holding what looked like firewood. The girl raised her eyebrows and shook her head.

"So much for waiting until your married, huh Sango?" she asked, smirking at the two. Sango had turned beet red and the girl only turned around and ran off towards the village. It was in that moment that Sango suddenly became scared. She knew that if her father found out about this, she would be in deep trouble. It was not that her father did not like the monk, quite to the contrary really, but she did not want to have to face him with this. She had always believed in waiting until you were married before lying with a man. And she did not want to have to explain to her father why she was half naked and soaking wet in a clearing with Miroku holding her against a tree and kissing her like there was no tomorrow. Miroku seemed to understand that also. After some quick apologies, they had disentangled themselves and went back to the village, neither one of them really sure of what had just happened just between them.

*End Flashback*

Sango smiled and shook her head as she deposited the basket at the entrance to her home. A few well placed threats and a glare or two had kept the other girl from blabbing about anything she had seen in the clearing that evening, consequently keeping Sango out of any real trouble with her family. She sighed and shook her head as Kirara padded up to her. She picked the neko youkai up and petted her absentmindedly.

"What could he possibly want now?" she asked the cat. The only response she got was a rough tongue on her fingers where Kiara was licking her hand. Sango smiled and set the neko down onto the floor. "Well, I'm only going to find out one way." she said. She pushed the basket out of the way and made her way outside and to the edge of the forest. The clearing was only a few minutes walk, and she would be there in no time.

Meanwhile, Miroku was trying not to have a nervous breakdown. He had been waiting for a while, now knowing as to whether Sango would come back to the clearing or not. He remembered the last time they were both here, and smiled. Everything had went fine until that village girl had shown up, effectively wrecking what he had been doing. After that, Sango had pulled the barriers up full force again. He fingered the little object in his pocket as he picked up on the light footsteps of someone coming. Pulling himself into the beginning shadows of the tree line, he waited for Sango to appear. He didn't have to wait long because two minutes later, she walked out into the clearing. He watched her intently as she looked around for him.

"Miroku?" she called out. "Were are you?" When she did not get an answer, she put her hands on her hips and frowned. "This better not be some kind of trick, monk!" Miroku laughed and Sango turned around to see him leaning up against a tree.

"It's no trick." he said. "I promise." Sango's posture relaxed a little, but she made no move to go any closer to him. He frowned and looked at her guarded expression. _'She's thinking about the last time we were here.'_ he thought. 

"What do you want, Miroku?" she asked. "Is something wrong? Why'd you want me to meet you out here?" The monk smiled and walked out to her, pulling her into a loose hug.

"No, nothing is wrong. I've got something for you. And I didn't want to give it to you in front of the villagers incase you decided to hurt me afterwards." he said quietly. He felt her body stiffen up automatically and she pulled away from him with a serious expression on her face.

"Miroku? What's going on here?" she asked. The monk smiled and began to walk back towards the tree he had been leaning against only minutes before. Sango followed him and waiting until he was settled to continue on. "Why did you call me out here?" 

Miroku looked out at the girl and smiled. She was so sweet and innocent, despite all the killing she had done and everything she had been through. There was still an aura of innocence that surrounded her through it all. He smiled and pulled her to him.

"Do you remember the last time we were here, together?" he asked, stroking her hair. Sango was really confused now, but the thought of that evening brought a blush to her face.

"How could I forget?" she asked quietly, not meeting his gaze. He smiled and held her closer. Sango just stood there, leaning against him and waiting to find out what this was all about. 

"You enjoyed that evening, didn't you?" he asked, picking at her. "You liked what I was doing to you." Sango blushed profusely and closed her eyes. She really didn't want to talk about that. It was still embarrassing for her, although he didn't seem to mind it so much.

"Miroku…"

"Just answer me, Sango." he said quietly. "Did you enjoy it?" 

"Yes." was the weak reply. He smiled and pulled away from the tree, turning them around and pushing her back to the trunk, exactly like they had been that evening a few weeks before. Sango looked up at him with wide eyes and shook her head. "Miroku… I can't ….. do that again."

"Why not?" he asked, playing with her hair. He could feel her heart rate speed up, and it was pushing him farther to the edge "I'm not going to hurt you, you know that."

"I promised my father I would wait until I was married. I don't want to go back on my word." she mumbled, turning her head away from him. "I'm sorry, but I just can't." Miroku smiled and pulled away from her.

"That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about." he said. Sango looked a little confused. _'What is this crazy monk talking about?'_ She watched as he pulled something out of one of his robes and took her hand. She felt something cool slip over the ring finger of her left hand and she gasped. 

"Sango, will you marry me?" he asked, holding her hand. She looked up and blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to take in the question and its implications. 

"What?" she asked, not sure she had heard him right. He smiled nervously, but it faltered when he looked at her again.

"Sango, I've loved you for a long time. Ever since we met, I knew there was something about you that was different. Something that made you special. I fell in love with you soon after I met you." he said quietly. "All through our travels, I watched and waited, hoping that you would let me near you."

"But…the other girls… and the ….groping.." she stuttered, remembering how he would hit on any of the girls he could find. Her head was spinning again. 

"I was trying to get your attention, love." he said with a grin. "Trying to make you jealous." She looked at him and gave a half hearted smile.

"Well, it worked." she said. Miroku smiled and hugged her again. 

"I'll take that as a yes, then?" he asked. Sango smiled and nodded.

"Yes." she said with a smile. "That's a yes." He smiled at her and bent down to kiss her again. Suddenly, her father's face popped into her head. She broke the kiss and stared up at him. "What about my father?" she asked. "Does he know…"

"Your father already knows, love." he said. "Both he and your mother gave me their consent and blessings to ask you. I asked them when I came back earlier today." He grinned and shook his head. "Even Kohaku said go ahead." Sango smiled and reached up to kiss him again. He obliged and they broke away after a few more minutes. Sango could not have been happier, and she had a feeling that Miroku was just as happy. After a while, they walked back to the village. When they got to the hut, Sango looked down at the ring on her finger. It was a simple silver band, but there were intricate carvings all around it. It reminded her of vines. She looked up at Miroku and smiled again. He gathered her up and held on to her. 

He finally had the woman he loved, and he was going to keep her with him until the end of times. He had waited too long for her to open up to him to give it away to someone else. His love was in her. And it was going to stay like that for the rest of his natural life. 

They spent the next few hours talking and just holding onto each other. Sometime in the night, Sango had fallen asleep on Miroku's lap, and he did nothing about it. He adjusted his hold on her and found a more comfortable sleeping position before pulling her close to him and falling asleep with her. 

All night long, their dreams revolved around the one that held them in their arms, and who loved them beyond belief.

**__**

A/N - Some one hand me a toothbrush! Lord, I can't believe I just wrote that! I know that both Sango and Miroku are probably way, way, way, out of character. Sorry. I can't help it. Remember to leave me a review and tell me what you think. I'll appreciate it more than anything. Later.


	21. Chapter 21

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Disclaimer - It's not mine, never was.

Kouga and Inuyasha Find Out

Kagome walked along the worn path to Kaede's, her head full of unanswered questions and wondering what kind of reaction she was going to get from Inuyasha. Suddenly, a gale force wind blew up and she felt herself falling towards the ground because of its intensity. Her mind quickly registered a small funnel cloud in front of her. She braced herself for the impact with the ground, but it never came. Instead, she felt two very strong arms pick her up. She shook her head and looked up, knowing who was holding her, but not wanting to admit it to herself. She bit her lip as she took in the pensive look on Kouga's normally calm face. Without another word, he took off from the ground. Kagome let out a yelp and clung to him, not knowing what was going on. When she was able to breath normally again, she looked up at the wolf prince and glared.

"What are you doing, Kouga?!" she yelled. The wind was rushing past them, and she forced her self to yell at the man holding her. "Where are you taking me?! And what's the meaning of this?!" The wolf prince looked down at her and gave her the coldest glare she had ever seen. She immediately shrank down and shut up. She had never seen him this mad before.

"We've got to talk." he said simply. "And we won't be able to if dog-boy is breathing down your neck and trying to kill me in the process." Kagome looked stunned and shook her head.

"But Inuyasha's not here." she yelled. 

"Look behind us." Kouga said gruffly. Kagome turned around and sure enough, saw the red of Inuyasha's fire rat haoiri. She gulped and Kouga felt her tense up. He also sensed the fear in her body. She clutched to him and cried out.

"Gods…no.." she whispered. "Kouga, I need to talk to him." The wolf prince shook his head and frowned. He took his eyes off of the skyline for one second to look down at her. His gaze softened and he shook his head.

"He already knows, Kagome." he said sadly. Kouga saw the unshed tears begin to build up in her eyes. And his heart nearly broke in two. "He knew the minute you stepped out of that well. Why do you think he's after us right now?"

"But…"

"No buts, Kagome!" he said fiercely. "At the moment, there's no telling what he'll do, to you or me. I'm not worried about me, I can handle him. But if he tries to lay a hand on you, I'll kill him. It's best to let him calm down for a little while before you talk to him." Kagome only nodded as the tears began to fall. She had wanted Inuyasha to find out, but not like this.

"Kouga, please… get me away from him. He's done enough damage already." she whispered. She could sense the anger coming off of Inuyasha, and her plan to explain everything to him suddenly went down the drain. The wolf youkai nodded and suddenly dived towards the forest floor. He could still sense the hanyou following him. He even picked up a few of the rather colorful threats the white-haired half demon was shouting. He put on an extra burst of speed and masked his and Kagome's scents a little more before loosing the hanyou in the thick cover of the forest. He quickly sat down right near a small lake and proceeded to walk behind the small waterfall that fed into it. 

They entered the cave and Kouga sat the girl down gently. He made a motion to be quiet and Kagome complied. He walked away from her and stuck his head out from the cave, looking past the water to scan for any sign of Inuyasha. With his conscience clear, he went back to Kagome and sat down beside her. He had a feeling this was going to take a while…..

*******************************************************

Meanwhile, Inuyasha was cursing the gods for making him loose the trail of Kagome and the wolf. He had dove down after Kouga, following as best he could. Even without the jewel shards, Kouga was faster than him, and it irked Inuyasha knowing that. He sat down on the ground and looked around. His anger had clouded his thoughts and as soon as the adrenaline rush began to wear off, his mind started focusing right.

When he had caught Kagome's scent, he had been overjoyed to know that she had come back to the Warring States, even if it was not to see him. When he had picked up the smell of pregnancy, he had panicked, not knowing what to think. But when he had picked up the scent of Kagome, pregnancy, and Kouga, he got angry. Although he and Kagome had had words, and she had ultimately told him that she never wanted to see him again, he still harbored feelings for the girl. When he took off after them into the air, he could feel his rage starting to come through.

Kouga had picked her up and carried her off, and she was not even fighting him. Inuyasha had picked up the salty smell of her tears not long after that, but Kouga had dived into the forest, masking their scents and going into hiding. _'Why is she running?'_ he thought. _'She's knows I'm not going to hurt her.'_ He kicked some dead leaves and frowned. _'If she is pregnant, why would she run from me?'_ Then, like a ton of bricks it hit him, and he stopped. _'What if the child isn't mine?'_ he thought. He shook his head and frowned again. _'She wouldn't run to that wimpy wolf. She knows better than that. Kouga can't take care of her.'_ His mind was swimming with unanswered questions as he took off towards Kouga's den, intent on finding answers to his questions, even if he had to beat it out of the stupid wolves

Kikyou had told him that she needed to go to Kaede's village to ask her sister for some more herbs to help heal some of the children in her village, so he thought she would not be back for some time. Inuyasha had told her to go ahead and do what she needed to do, but he was coming with her. He had secretly been glad to be able to get closer to Kaede's village. When they had gotten to the edge of the forest, Inuyasha told Kikyou that he was staying right there because he did not know what kind of reception he would get. Kikyou had not argued, only said that she would be back in a few minutes. He had settled back into his tree right after the little run in with Kouga when he had picked up Kagome's scent and decided to go find her. 

It was probably a good thing then, that he was too engrossed in his little escapade right now to notice that Kikyou had been standing less than twenty feet away from him, hidden in the tree's shadows, when he landed, and there was nothing in her person remotely resembling bandages, ointments, or any other type of medicines…

*******************************************************

Kouga's mind was racing when he sat down next to the still whimpering Kagome. Thoughts of Kagome mingled with thoughts of killing Inuyasha in more than one painful way. He let a small growl go, and Kagome looked over at him with tear filled eyes. She said nothing to him, but her body language said all he needed to know. Her head was bowed, her shoulders tense, and her arms hugging herself, seeking some form of reassurance.

She was upset and confused. Kouga watched her as she stared out to the fall where the water was crashing on the boulders. There was a slight breeze inside the cave, and Kouga's nose picked up her scent once again. Her naturally sweet smell was underlined with the smell of new life. And salty smell of her tears mixed in to form an interesting combination that he inhaled. He shook his head as the breeze shifted again, pulling the aroma away from him. He quickly got up and sat as close to her as possible. They remained silent for a few minutes, each one contemplating on what to say next. Kouga finally broke the uneasy silence.

"I'm sorry, Kagome." he said, not looking at her. 

"Excuse me?" she asked, surprised that he was apologizing to her.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you when I got you from the well. When I smelled you scent, I was just so glad you had come back. But when I picked up the pregnancy smell…. I kinda lost my bearings for a few minutes. And, I'm sorry. I knew that dog-face was nearby, and I didn't want him to say anything to you about it." Kagome smiled and patted the wolf demon on the hand, giving him a sad half smile.

"It's alright. I've put up with worse. I traveled with Inuyasha for years. It's okay, I'm used to sudden outbursts of anger." she said. Kouga said nothing to her, just kept looking towards the entrance.

"You do know he is going to be looking for you now." he said. "He's going to want to ….."

"I know." she said quickly, cutting him off. " I just don't know what's going to happen when I get the guts up to face him. I don't know what he's going to do. And if this was just a preview of what he's going to do when I finally face him, I'm not sure I want him to know."

"But he already does, Kagome. He could smell it, just like me." Kouga pointed out. "When do you plan on facing him?"

"I was going to speak with Kaede today about some things before hand." Kagome answered. "There's some questions I need answers to. But I was planning on telling him tomorrow. I'll give him the rest of the day to cool off. Then go to the village and try to talk to him."

"The village where he and Kikyou lives?" Kouga asked in shock. Kagome nodded and Kouga shook his head.

"That's over a day and a half walk. You'd have to leave tonight if you wanted to be there by tomorrow." he pointed out.

"I know. I'm leaving this evening, after I speak with Kaede."

"Who's going with you?" he asked suddenly. He did not want her to face an angry Inuyasha on her own. It just was not safe, no matter what she thought. _'Not to mention that wench Kikyou.'_

"I'm going by myself." she answered.

"No, your not! You can just wait and stay in the village tonight. Then I'll take you to the village where Inuyasha is myself."

"I don't want to intrude on your time, Kouga." she said. "I'm sure there are things you need to do for your pack."

"You're not intruding." he said firmly. "Besides, don't you owe the pups a visit? You said you'd come and visit when you came back." Kagome nodded and Kouga grinned, knowing that using the pups as an excuse would always work. Kagome was a sucker for kids, no matter whose they were. "Here's an idea. Let's go to the cave and you can play with the pups for a while. They're itching to see you again anyway."

"But it's almost evening." she said.

"I'll bring you back to Kaede's village after a while if you want."

"Kouga, I still don't think that's a good idea." she said quietly. "What if you pack….well…" She blushed, not wanting to think about what the others would think of her.

"Notices?"

"Yeah. I don't' want them to think less of me because of this." Kagome said softly. Kouga gave her a half hearted grin, deciding it was time to fill her in on a few things about demons, especially wolves.

"They won't do or say anything, Kagome." he said gently. "In fact, I'm sure Keiko will have a fit when she find out." Kouga smirked. _'They'll probably think it's mine anyways.' _he thought with a grin. _'No harm in not telling them any different for the time being.'_

"I do miss the kids." Kagome said wistfully. Her hand trailed over her lower abdomen, and she frowned. "And I did promise to come see them…" Kouga moved behind the girl and placed his own hand over hers. He heard her breath hitch as he clasped his hand around the one on the bottom of her stomach.

"They won't do or say anything." he whispered again. "Being with child is normal in the pack."

"But there aren't normal circumstances." Kagome said. "I'm not a member of your pack."

"Everyone else thinks you are." he said. "Remember what I told you before you left?" Kagome nodded as a faint redness tinged her cheeks. "It still stands." 

"But…how will…?" she started.

"It doesn't matter." he replied. He rubbed his hand on her stomach as a chill went down his spine, unconsciously causing him to pull her a little closer to him. "You're carrying a new life inside of you. There is nothing shameful about that. You were marked as dog-face's mate when the child was conceived; therefore, you did nothing wrong. You are giving life to a child. Nothing is more sacred and precious than that. Just because Inuyasha is the father isn't a reason to shun you." he grinned and hugged her. "They might question your sanity since it is him and not me, but they won't do anything else." Kagome hit him on the shoulder, but smiled at his obvious attempt to lighten the mood.

"Thank you, Kouga." she grinned, wiping away some of the unshed tears in her eyes.

"It's not a problem." he said, grinning at her again. "Besides, if push comes to shove, I'll tell them it's mine."

"Kouga!!" she exclaimed, the blush on her face rising terribly.

"What?" he asked innocently. "What'd I say?"

"You wouldn't?!" she said. His gaze fell a little as he looked at her.

"Geez. Is it really that bad of a situation to imagine yourself in?" he asked quietly. Kagome smiled and shook her head, but began to squirm under his intense gaze.

"No, it wouldn't be. At least I'm sure you wouldn't leave me for some revived clay pigeon."

"You seem awful sure about that." he teased again. Kagome frowned and shook her finger at him.

"Don't make me loose my faith in you." she warned. Kouga grinned and put his hands up in defeat. "Besides, your pack would turn on you if something like that ever happened and you turned against me." she said with a smug grin. "I have assurances from Keiko and Kuarasama that you would be overthrown and replaced."

"See, I told you that my pack loves you." he said happily. "I'm glad they're loyal to someone, even it isn't me." He put a hurt expression on his face and Kagome grinned. "And that's why they won't condemn you because of this. They love you. Hell, the pups will get a kick out of having someone else to play with." He watched as Kagome went over her options. She finally looked at him and grinned.

"Okay, you've got me convinced." Kagome smiled. "Let me go get my bag. The surprise for the kids is in there."

"I'll go with you. What did you bring them anyways?" he asked out of morbid curiosity.

"Just some sweets from my time, candy, chocolate, licorice. Little things like that." she said. Kouga groaned, remembering the last time Kagome had given the pups chocolate. They were bouncing off the walls of the cave for hours afterwards.

"Uh. Kagome, how about you give them the chocolate in the morning. You do remember what happened the last time, don't you?"

"Yes, I remember." she grinned. "I'll wait till morning." The walked in a companiable silence until Kouga looked up at the sky and noticed how late it was getting. He stopped walking and Kagome turned around.  
  
"Something wrong?" she asked. 

"If you want to spend the evening with the pups, we need to hurry." Kagome needed and Kouga swept her up bridal style, being careful to be as gently as possible with her. Kagome smiled and a light blush covered her cheeks as they took off.

"I'm not going to break, Kouga." she said quietly The wolf demon only grinned at her, a soft look of adoration in his eyes.

"I know that, but I'm not taking any chances, with you or that little guy." he said, holding her with one arm and patting her lower stomach gently. "Someone has to take care of you."

"I can take care…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You can take care of yourself." he said flippantly . He gripped her more tightly and flew on. "But let my demon ego have it's way, will you? It'll make me feel better in the long run."

"Okay, okay. Whatever you want." she said. "I'm not arguing with you." He gave her a cocky grin of dominance that she quickly felt like wiping of his smug face. "Crazy, egotistical, dominating male demons." she muttered. "They're all the same." Kouga laughed and Kagome felt the rumble in his chest.

"It's not like you would have it any other way." he smirked. Kagome smiled, but her happiness fell when a sudden thought struck her.

"Kouga?" she asked gently. "What will happen if he doesn't want anything to do with me or the child?" Kouga stopped in midair and looked down at her. His face was grim, but he held onto her.

"If he does that, Kagome, then he forfeits all rights to the child for the rest of its life." Kagome looked a little worried.

"I don't know what I'm going to do if he doesn't accept the baby." she said. "I don't think a child with demon blood will be able to live in my time and have a normal life." She looked away and shook her head. "I'll find out soon, won't I?" she said grimly. Kouga nodded absently and took off again towards Kaede's village. He looked down at the girl and sighed. _'I swear Kagome," _ he vowed silently. _'If that bastard rejects that child, I'll help you to raise it. You shouldn't be left alone to fight it out on your own. I'll teach it everything it needs to know about the demon world. Don't you worry, you won't be alone. I promise you that……' _

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A/N - Hello everyone. How are you guys doing? I hope you enjoyed this little chappy. I know that Kouga is probably acting majorly weird, but take into account that he does truly love Kagome. (Too bad I can't find a guy like that!) And the characters are older, and more mature, now (well, maybe not Inuyasha, but we'll see). 

Anyway, remember to leave me a review telling me what you thought. It helps me to write more. 


	22. Chapter 22

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Disclaimer - It's not mine. It never was.

A/N - Hey everyone. I'm sorry for taking so long to update. School is starting to get rough, and I'm afraid I'm loosing time to work on my fanfics. Hope you guys enjoy. Later.

Final Confrontation

Kouga grinned as he landed right on the outside of the cave his pack called home. He and Kagome had went back to Kaede's village and procured her oversized back pack then headed straight for his den. As he gently deposited the girl on the ground, his handsome features turned into a scowl. There were trees bent in half, broken branches on the forest floor, and other signs of fight all around him. He sniffed the air a few times and let a low growl escape his throat when he picked up the familiar scent on the demon he had come to despise. Kagome noticed the abrupt change in his attitude and questioned the origins of his worry. She did not like it when he got upset.

"Kouga, what's wrong?" she asked, eyeing the tell tale signs of a fight. "What happened here?"

"The hanyou's been here." he growled out to her. "And I smell blood." He ran towards the entrance to the den, Kagome not too far behind him. When they entered, Kagome noticed a crowd of the wolf demons all kneeling down on the floor in the farthest part of the cave. Kouga pulled her with him over to the group, and she gasped when she saw who it was that had been injured.

Ginta was one of Kouga's right-hand men. He had always been faithful and loyal to his leader, and unerringly nice to her ever since the mess with the birds of paradise. Unfortunately, right now, he was lying on the floor of the cave, bleeding from several deep wounds that sliced from the top of his chest down to his abdomen. The injured wolf demon moaned in pain as Kouga pushed his way into the crowd.

"What happened?!" the prince growled. "Why do I smell the stench of that hanyou all around here?"

"Lord Kouga, he came here, looking for Sister Kagome." Ginta winced. "He said that if we didn't hand her over, he would kill all of us." Kouga's eyes narrowed down into twin, ice blue slits. The fallen wolf demon winced again as another wave of pain overtook him. The words floored Kagome, but she tamped down her rising anger and focused on the hurt demon in front of her. Acting on instinct, Kagome knelt down beside him and frowned. Inuyasha had come to the den looking for her, and now Ginta was hurt. _'It's all my fault.' _ she thought sadly. She grabbed a wet piece of cloth out of a nearby bowl and began to clean the gash in Ginta's chest.

"Is there anyone else hurt?" Kagome asked loudly. Everyone else had backed up away from the fallen warrior when Kouga came busting in with Kagome on his heels. Now, they were watching her with a livid interest. _'Great, they've picked up my scent.'_ she thought. _'What else could possibly go wrong today?'_ Ginta turned at the sound of her voice and looked at her, a small smile on his face.

"Sister Kagome….you are safe." he said plaintively.

"She's fine, Ginta." Kouga said suddenly. "Are there others hurt?"

"No, he's the only one." Kuarasama said, pushing her way towards her kneeling Lord. "The hanyou came here, demanding that we give him Lady Kagome. Ginta was the only male here, since the others took off to go hunting and patrolling. When Ginta told him that she wasn't here, he attacked. He knocked Ginta to the ground after ripping him up good, and I stepped in. But the hanyou backed down, mumbling something like 'not another one of Kouga's bitches pregnant…'" 

The demoness' normally even toned voice took on a hard edge as she reported to Kouga. It was true that she was pregnant herself, but she still had not figured on why Inuyasha had backed down from her just because of that reason. Now that she realized that Kagome was also pregnant, things began to make more sense. _'He's screwed up enough traditions, why stop at that one?'_ she thought.

Kouga stood up and started issuing orders to everyone else around.

In no time, Ginta had been moved to a more secluded room in the back of the cave. The kids were also sent outside and told not to interfere with Kagome. Kagome and Keiko were working on trying to patch up the demons wounds, but it was not doing any good. He had been unconscious for over forty-five minutes now. After over an hour of solid working, Keiko shook her head in defeat.

"I'm sorry, Lord Kouga." she said. "He has lost too much blood. There is nothing left for me to do for him. I doubt it that he will make it through the rest of the evening." Kouga's eyes flared up again, and Kagome knew he was about to hunt Inuyasha down and kill him. She shook her head in determination. Ginta was hurt because Inuyasha had come looking for her at the den. It was her fault that he was here, lying on the brink between life and death.

"He won't die because of me." she whispered quietly, her voice devoid of any and all emotion. "I won't allow it." She pulled the cloths away from wounds, causing the clotted blood to start running again. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this." she muttered.

"Kagome, what are you talking about? What are you doing?" Kouga asked. He got no response from the girl. But he did watch as an eerie pink light began to emanate from Kagome's outstretched hands. Her eyes went unfocused, and she started breathing in shallow, raspy breaths. Kouga watched in a mixture of fascination and worry as she moved her hands over the wounds. He didn't know what was going on, and he thought that whatever it was would hurt Kagome. He reached out to her, trying to bring her back to the world of the living. He was about two inches from her when Keiko slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch her!!" the old demoness said fiercely. "If you don't want to be purified, leave her to her work! She's a miko; she knows what she's doing!" Kouga watched in amazement as Kagome's hands moved up and down Ginta's mangled chest. The gashes slowly began to close up until there was nothing left, not even a scar. 

As the pink light began to dissipate, Kagome slowly came back to the land of the living, her eyes refocusing and her breathing returning to normal. She gave a sigh of relief when she looked down to find that the gashes were gone from Ginta's body. 

Suddenly, her anger hit the roof. Inuyasha had almost killed one of her friends. He had tried to ransack Kouga's den because he could not get to her. A fierce light shown in her eyes and she stood up from her position over the now sleeping form of Ginta. Kouga stood behind her and pulled her into a gentle hug. He was glad that she had been able to save his friend, but now he was worried. Her anger scent had peaked, and he could tell something was bothering her immensely.

"Kagome?" he questioned, "Are you alright?" 

"I'm fine, Kouga." she answered shortly. "But I've had enough of this mess."

"What mess?" he asked stupidly, glad that she had been able to save Ginta.

"It's time I dealt with Inuyasha once and for all." she said. She walked out of the cave and Kouga followed, after giving the rest of the pack strict orders to let Ginta sleep for the rest of the day.

"What are you doing, love?" Kouga asked.

"I want you to take me to the village where Inuyasha and Kikyou are living." she said. "I'm putting a stop to this insanity today!" 

"Kagome, calm down." he pleaded. "You're going to upset the pup if you keep on." Kagome seemed to come back to reality when he mentioned the child. Her hand quickly came to rest on her abdomen, and she let out a breath of air, but the fierceness never left her eyes. 

"Take me to where he's at, Kouga." she said. "I'm ending this today." 

"Kagome, don't you think you should wait until tomorrow so that…." he began.

"I'm not waiting." she said pointedly. "Either you can take me, or I'll walk." Just to prove her point, she began to walk away from the wolf prince and towards Kaede's village. Kouga frowned and watched her. _'She's not going to step down now.'_ he thought. He quickly caught up to her and picked her up, taking off into the air without a word. 

"Do you know what you're doing, woman?" he asked gruffly. "I was in Kaede's village earlier today, and she was saying that the hanyou's bitch is slowly starting to regain her hold on the miko powers she once had."

"Is she now?" Kagome asked sarcastically. "Then maybe I'll just take her out while I'm doing this and do everyone a favor." Kouga shook his head. Kagome was honestly thinking about killing both Inuyasha and Kikyou for this. "How long before we get to the village?" 

"Five minutes, max." he answered. "What are you going to do once you get there? You can't outright challenge the bastard."  
"You let me worry about that." she answered icily. "It's about time someone taught that insolent puppy a lesson." Kouga flinched at the venom in her voice. He stopped in mid-air and looked down at Kagome.

"Kagome, you can't do anything that is going to hurt the child." he said. 

"I'm not going to do anything to hurt the pup." she said. "Now let's go." Kouga shook his head and took off again, hoping that the girl knew what she was doing.

*******************************************************

Inuyasha had just made it back to the hut he shared with Kikyou when the once dead miko entered into the hut. He said nothing, only glared at the wall. Kikyou looked over at him and hid a sadistic smile.

"Something wrong, Inuyasha?" she asked sweetly.

"Feh." Was his only response. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Suit yourself, love." she said, walking over to him and placing a kiss on his forehead. "If you want to talk about it later, come and find me. There are some children at the edge of the village that need some herbs, and I'm going to give them. I'll be there if you need me." The hanyou only growled in response, but Kikyou ignored it and walked out of the hut, content to know that the hanyou was probably ready to commit murder.

Inuyasha tried to clear his mind of the images that brought up. Kagome was pregnant, and Kouga was carrying her off and hiding her. The only conclusion he could draw was that Kouga was responsible, and Kagome was hiding from him. _'That's ridiculous! She wouldn't sleep with that flea-bag!'_ he thought. Unfortunately, his thoughts were cut short when he heard a scream coming from right outside the hut. _'Kikyou!! That was Kikyou's voice!!'_ he though quickly, grabbing the sheathed Tetsusaiga and rushing out of the entrance. The sight that beheld him was not something that he ever wanted to see again.

Kikyou was down on the ground, her basket of herbs spilled out all around her. Standing above her was her reincarnate, and the object of Inuyasha's earlier search, Kagome. And next to her, was the smirking face of the one person who Inuyasha would love to kill at the moment, Kouga. He stepped out of the hut and growled, drawing the two intruder's attention away from the fallen form of Kikyou.

"What are you doing here?" he barked, eyeing the wolf prince. "You have no business to be in this village." 

"He may have no business, Inuyasha," Kagome said flatly, causing the hanyous attention to shift to her. "However, I do. And I'm sorry to say that it concerns you." Inuyasha looked over at her and his anger slowly began to melt away. She was pissed, and he could tell it. Her cheeks were rosy and her hair was mussed up from the flying. There was a dangerous spark in her eyes, and he suddenly wondered what he was doing with Kikyou and not her. 

"What is it, Kagome?" he asked. "What do you want?"

"Inuyasha!" Kikyou yelled. "You're not going to listen to her, are you? She attacked me!"

"Oh, shut your trap, bitch!" Kouga snarled. "Kagome didn't do anything to you." Inuyasha though, seemed to be transfixed to the sight of Kagome. His mind started wielding picture after picture in front of his eyes. For some odd reason all of them were of the two of them. Each one was different. 

He and Kagome traveling down a dirt road, searching for shards.

He and Kagome sitting in Kaede's hut, eating ramen. 

Kagome coming up out of the well that led to her home era.

"What do you want, Kagome?" the hanyou asked again, more softly this time, releasing his hold on the sword. 

"You know what I came here for." she stated simply, placing her hand on her lower abdomen. "You knew the second I stepped out of the well and you picked up my scent." Inuyasha growled and shook his head, doubt quickly clouding his thoughts.

"I don't believe what your trying to tell me." he said. "There's no way."

"What?" Kagome asked, bewildered. "What do you mean there's no way?"

"Just what I said." he reiterated. "There's not way I'm responsible for that." Kagome looked sad for a moment, but then she shook her head. Kouga came up behind her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Inuyasha growled and glared at the full demon.

"Not responsible?" Kagome asked. "Not responsible? Then who the Hell is, might I ask?"

"Why don't you ask wolf-boy?" Inuyasha commented angrily. "He does seem to be rather overly protective of you right now, I wonder why?"

"YOU NO GOOD BASTARD!!!" Kouga yelled, letting go of Kagome and fisting his hands. "HOW COULD YOU ACCUSE HER OF THAT!!??"

"Because I can see what's right in front of my face!" the hanyou answered. He looked down at Kagome and saw that there were tears forming in her eyes. He immediately regretted loosing his temper with them.

"Fine then." Kagome said suddenly. "If you didn't believe that you're the father of this child, why did you go to Kouga's pack and mortally wound one of his pack members just to try to get to me?" 

"I…." he couldn't come up with an answer to that one. He had went looking for her earlier, and wound up at Kouga's den. The rest had been a blur. He remembered fighting with one of the demons, but when a female stepped in, this one pregnant herself, he had backed down.

"Exactly." Kagome said. She stalked up to the hanyou and looked him right in the eye. He seemed different from the other times she had seen him. The hatred in his eyes was gone. He looked like the old Inuyasha she had traveled with. "Inuyasha, this child is yours, whether you want to admit it or not. I know who I was with, and you're the only one."

"What about wolf boy? You seem to be spending an awful lot of time with him, and running away from me I might add." he said venomously.

"I never slept with Kouga." she said simply. She reached out to put her hand on his shoulder, and he did not flinch away. He did not want to.

"How do I know that?" Inuyasha answered, a little less convincing than the last time. He wanted to believe what she was saying, but there was a voice in his head that kept telling him that she was lying to him. _'She's never lied to me before. Why would she start now?'_ he thought.

"You don't." she said simply. "But, unlike some people, I wouldn't lie to you about something this important." Kikyou had finally composed herself enough to get off of the ground and stand up. When she saw how close the hanyou and her reincarnate were standing, she got worried. She tightened her already weak hold on Inuyasha and willed him towards her. The change in him was immediate, and she hid a grin. His body tensed up and he pushed Kagome's hand off of his shoulder with a snarl. _'Perfect.'_ she thought.

"Inuyasha??" she said. "What's the meaning of this? What is she talking about?"

"Quit acting like an innocent, you wench!" Kouga said. "You know exactly what's going on. You can sense the child in Kagome, so don't play dumb!" Kikyou shook her head as if she didn't understand and Kagome turned around to look at her, fire in her chocolate eyes.

"Then let me spell it out for you, Kikyou." she ground out. "I'm pregnant, and Inuyasha is the father of the child." Kikyou, although she already knew that the girl carried a child, acted as though she was shocked. 

She grinned inwardly at the face on Kagome. The younger girl was radiating energy like crazy, and all of her anger was reviving Kikyou's own miko powers. That was how she had been able to sense another presence within Kagome's body only minutes after they had arrived.

"The child is not mine." Inuyasha said suddenly. Kagome turned back around and looked at the hanyou. She gasp when she saw the hatred etched on his face. She shook her head in confusion. 

"Inuyasha, the child is yours. And you know it." she said simply. "Or did you forget that evening in the springs when you marked me, or night before I left to go back home after we collected the shards when you put the fading mark back?" A soft look of comprehension began to creep its way onto the hanyou's face, softening the anger lines, and Kikyou tightened her hold on him again, willing him to disbelieve what Kagome told him. Kagome was almost ecstatic when Inuyasha slowly nodded in acquiescence. 

"I remember, Kagome." he said quietly. 

"Then why don't you believe me?" she asked. "It's obvious enough to both of us that I'm pregnant. I know you don't want the child…"

"Then get rid of it." Kikyou said firmly. "There's no way you can raise a child on you own. You're not strong enough." Inuyasha turned to the woman and suddenly felt like slapping her silly. He shook his head in confusion, wondering why he couldn't make up his mind about the two women. 

__

'What's wrong we me?' he thought.

"She won't raise the child alone." Kouga said fiercely. Inuyasha turned and glared at the full demon, fully intending on pounding him into the ground. But he stopped when Kagome looked back at him and smiled weakly. "She has the support of my entire pack, as well as myself behind her. She won't be alone." Inuyasha was stunned at his offer. It was very rare for a male demon to take on another male's child, but Kouga was offering it. And Inuyasha did not like it one bit.

"I won't abort the child, and that's final." Kagome said, staring directly at the older miko. "I wouldn't do something like that, although I don't doubt you would." She turned back to Inuyasha, who had continued to stare at her and Kouga. "Inuyasha, I…"

"We need to talk." he said simply, grabbing her wrist. _'I can't think with both of them around here.'_ he thought. _'With all of the miko energy crackling around those two, I'm surprised Kouga and I haven't been purified yet. I need to talk to her, but away from Kouga and Kikyou.'_ he thought.

"You are talking, dog-face." Kouga said, rushing to Kagome's side. The hanyou dropped the girl's wrist and glared even harder at the full demon. "So get on with it."

"I need to speak with Kagome, alone." he said. "This matter concerns only her and myself, not either of you."

"Inuyasha!" Kikyou cried. "Don't turn your back on me again!!"

"You're not taking her anywhere, puppy!" Kouga said, coming up behind her and pulling her into his embrace. His hands rested on her lower abdomen, a silent reminder as to why they were here in the first place. It did not go unnoticed by Inuyasha. "Anything you've got to say, you can say it in front of me!"

"This doesn't concern either of you." the hanyou said, eyeing the miko and the wolf prince. 

"She's not going with you, and that's final." Kouga said.

"Kouga?" Kagome said. "Let me go. I have to do this." The wolf demon looked down with shock on his face.

"Kagome, I can't let you do that. There's no telling what he'll do to you when you get by yourself."

"Kouga…please?" she begged. "We'll be right back, I promise."

"I'm not gonna do anything to her, wolfie." Inuyasha said. "Not even I'm stupid enough to hurt a pregnant female."

"Could've surprised me." the wolf sneered. "You've broken enough of our traditions, why stop at that one?" Inuyasha put his hand on the hilt of Tetsusaiga and was about to draw it to cut the wolf's head off.

"Stop it, both of you!" Kagome said finally, pulling out of the wolf's embrace. "We're going to talk this out, whether you two like it or not." She began walking away, into the woods, and Inuyasha turned to follow silently. Before he got two steps in front of where he had been, Kouga slammed into him. Inuyasha went flying headfirst into the dirt. Before he could pick himself up, Kouga had him pinned to a nearby tree.

"You hurt her again, bastard, and I'll be sure to kill you this time." he growled out. "I still owe you for wounding Ginta."

"I'm not going to touch her, wolf-boy." the hanyou said. 

"You better do just that. Had it been left up to me, I'd have killed you first, then asked questions later." With that final unspoken threat, Kouga let the hanyou fall down to his feet. Inuyasha picked himself up and was about to walk off when Kikyou came flying towards him.

"Inuyasha! Inuyasha!" she sobbed. "Don't turn your back on me! Please….don't leave me again!" She clung to the hanyou's robes, sobbing her tears of betrayal.

"I'm not turning by back on you, Kikyou." he said soothingly, "I have to speak with Kagome about this. I'll be back soon." 

"But…" she stammered. Out of the corner of her eye, Kikyou could see Kagome standing at the forest, waiting on the hanyou. She stood up and wiped her tears away, they stood on her tiptoes and gave Inuyasha a kiss. _'Let the little wench know she's not getting him back.'_ she thought. "Come back to me, Inuyasha." she whispered softly.

"I will, Kikyou." he said, smoothing her hair down. "I will. Go on down to the village and do what you need to. I'll come get you when this is over with. It won't take long." And with that, she let him go and he turned to follow Kagome into the woods. Kouga took off in the opposite direction, content to give Kagome the privacy she needed, and to keep an eye on the wench Kikyou. Something told him that she was trouble. He stole a glance at the once dead girl and growled. She had a look of triumphant on her face, along with a grin that would have made Naraku proud. _'That woman is trouble, and I know it.'_ he thought.

Kagome walked into the forest until she found a shaded spot that blocked out the evening's sunlight. She turned and faced the silent hanyou, a grimace on her face. She had been dreading this conversation the whole time, but it was here now.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha." she said simply. She had already made up her mind not to cry in front of him. She was too mad as it was to worry about crying, and he knew it. " I didn't want this to happen, but it did."

"You need to calm down, Kagome." the hanyou said quietly. Kagome's temper flared up at the dismissal of her apology.  
"Calm down?!" she shrieked, "Calm down?! I tell you I'm pregnant with your child, and all you can say is 'calm down'?" Inuyasha grabbed her shoulders and tried to stop her from swinging at him. Unfortunately, when a soft pink light began to envelope her body, he backed up. 

"The angrier you become, the more power Kikyou gets back." he said simply. "She doesn't need her miko powers back." Kagome was stunned at the fact that he had told her the same thing that Kouga had before they got to the village.

"How did you…."

"I just know." he said dismissively. Kagome took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "She's slowly been regaining the power she once had, so calm down before you transfer any more of your energy through the jewel and back to her."

"I'm not worried about Kikyou right now." Kagome said pointedly, changing the subject with the blink of an eye. "I want to know what you think about this child."

"Kagome," he said simply. "You have to understand that I have my doubts about the parentage of this child."

"What?!" she asked again. "How could you?"  
"You ran to Kouga as soon as you found out about Kikyou. You didn't even give me a chance to explain what had happened between Kikyou and I. How am I supposed to know for a fact that it's not his child your carrying?"

"Seeing you two lying underneath a tree naked isn't proof enough of your infidelity to me?" she asked, remembering the night Kouga had brought her to see the two of them together. " As for Kouga, you don't see a bite mark on my neck, do you?" she asked suddenly, pulling her shirt away from her neck. "I was never with Kouga, at least not like that."

"I don't know that for a fact, Kagome." he said. "And I'm not sure I can trust you."  
"YOU can't trust ME???" she asked suddenly. She walked up to him and stood face to face with the hanyou. Her anger was getting the better of her again, but she tried to tamp it down. "Who's talking here, you or Kikyou?"

"Kagome.." he started.  
"Don't you 'Kagome', me." she said. "You know I wouldn't sleep with Kouga. If I wanted to do that, I'd done it a long time ago, I assure you."

"But.." he started. Kagome shook her head in defeat and looked back up to her white haired ex-lover.

"What has Kikyou done to you, Inuyasha?" she asked simply. The hanyou noticed her quick change in temperament and hid a grin. "You told me that night at the spring that you wanted a family with me. What made you change your mind so suddenly? What'd she do?" The hanyou only turned his back to the girl and frowned. He didn't know what was going on. He knew that he was supposed to love Kagome, -he knew that he had at one time- but something was telling him that his love for Kikyou was more important. 

"I…don't know…what…changed." he admitted.

"Do you still love me?" Kagome asked simply. Inuyasha was a little taken off guard by the question. He hadn't expected that one.

"Yes." he said. "But not when Kikyou's around." Kagome shook her head at his answer. _'He doesn't even know what he wants.'_ she thought angrily. 

"What are you talking about?" she asked. "You love me, but not when she's around? That doesn't make any sense, Inuyasha."

"Something's different, Kagome." he admitted. "I know I love you, but Kikyou's….. something's telling me that I should be with her, not you. I don't know what it is, to be honest." Kagome looked over at the obviously confused half demon, and things started making sense to her. Her anger flared again, and she quickly stopped it. _'Damned Kikyou and her miko mind tricks!!!' _ she thought angrily. _'She's done this to him!'_ She took a shaky breath and shook her head. Now that she knew what the problem was, she knew how to conquer it. Make him choose right now. Kagome had been in control of her powers long enough to know that when faced with a person who was under even a small amount of mind control would go with their heart's truest desire when forced to choose.

"It's either her or me, Inuyasha." Kagome said finally. "I'm not going to play second fiddle to another girl." Inuyasha looked at her and shook his head. _'I know something is going on here with Kikyou, but I don't know what it is.'_ he said to himself. _'I don't want to get Kagome and the pup tied up in this right now. I have to wash my hands with Kikyou before I do anything else.'_

"Then I'm afraid, until I figure out what's truly in my mind, my choice is Kikyou." he said quietly. "Something in the back of my mind is telling me this is the only way not to hurt you in the long run." 

"Fine." she said, choking back her tears. "You do realize that you're forfeiting all rights to this child over to me." Inuyasha nodded, knowing that was the way the demon law read.

"Kagome, I know." he said. "I just need some time to figure out what's going on through my head. I'm confused."

"Fine." she said. "Now that that's settled, I think we should get back before Kouga tears the village apart." She went to walk away, but Inuyasha caught her gently on the shoulder.

"Promise me one thing, Kagome." he said, not looking in her eyes. He hoped she could read him as well now as she had in the past. She always seemed to know what he was thinking before; he just hoped she had not lost that capability yet.

"What?" she asked.

"When the child, our child, is born, you'll at least let me see it once."

"Why should I?" she asked. "You are sealed out of the well, and can't get to me."

"Please, Kagome." he begged. Kagome looked at him and a sadness filled her. Inuyasha was an open book if asked the right question, and she knew just what to ask him.

"You never did question the parentage of this child, did you?" she asked softly. "You know it's yours, don't you?" The hanyou only nodded, knowing that the girl spoke the truth. Deep in his heart, he knew Kagome would never betray him with Kouga, at least not without some sort of closure on their own relationship. He knew that the child was his, but he could not drag the both of them into the mess with Kikyou. 

Kagome looked to the side and sighed. _'I can't cut him off from the child forever.'_ she thought sadly. _'But, I don't have to tell him that.'_

"Inuyasha, I'm only going to say this once, so listen up." she said quickly. "I know this child is yours, and I don't want it to grow up without a father figure. But, I'm not going to let it be confused by you. If you run from me to Kikyou and back again, the child is going to be upset when you're with us one minute, and gone the next. What would I say when they ask where their father is?" She looked him in the eyes and frowned. "And I won't have that."

"Kagome, please..." he pleaded.  
"Here's the deal, Inuyasha." she continued on. "You have one last chance to prove yourself to me, or to the child I should say. When you get yourself figured out or straightened out, or whatever, come talk to me then. We'll see what we can work out." Inuyasha nodded, glad that all hope was not lost to him. Kagome frowned and went on with her stipulations. "But as long as Kikyou's in the picture, I'm not. I'm not going to wait on you, Inuyasha. You made your choice, and now we both have to live with it. You have eight months to figure out what's going on with Kikyou. After that, you'll have one chance to prove yourself to our child. You screw it up even once, and you won't get another one. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly." he said.

"Good." she said. "Now if you'll excuse me.."

"One more question, Kagome." he said quickly.

"What?"

"Are you going to raise the child in your era, or here?" he asked.

"Well, I can't exactly have a child with dog-ears in my time, now can I?" she asked sarcastically. Inuyasha seemed to shrink back at the mention of the child being only part demon, but Kagome went on as though nothing had changed. "Up until the last few months of my pregnancy, I'll be in my time. But when I get too far along, I'm afraid I'll have to come back here. Kaede has already told me that I'm welcome to stay with her anytime I want to." The hanyou nodded, accepting the explanation without questions. Kagome turned once again was about to walk back to the village when she stopped short.

"What's wrong, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked.

"I'm not going back to the village." she said pointedly. "I'm liable to kill a certain someone if I do."

"How are you getting back? You can't walk through the forest yourself." 

"I'm not walking." she said pointedly.

"Damn straight you're not!" he said vehemently. He scooped her up bridal style and was about to take off when she stopped him.

"What do you think you're doing?" she shrieked. "Put me down!" 

"How else are you going to get back before nightfall?" he asked, sitting her down on her feet. 

"Like this." she said, glaring at him. "KOUGA!!!!" Inuyasha almost dropped her to the ground, clutching his ears when she screamed for the wolf demon. Before the hanyou could recover, gale force winds were whipping through the trees. A little mini tornado came charging towards Kagome, and it stopped right in front of her. Kouga stepped out and stood in front of her, looking her up and down for any sign of injuries or scrapes.

"What's wrong, Kagome?" he asked, glaring at the hanyou. "What'd he do to you? Are you okay?" Kagome put her hand on the wolf's shoulder and shook her head.

"I'm fine, Kouga." she said softly. "But I'm ready to go back now."

"You're finished with dog-boy?" he asked. Inuyasha glared, not liking how he had phrased that question. He looked at Kagome and felt a wave of pain wash through him.

"Yes. I am. Let's go." Kagome said. Kouga nodded and looked back at the hanyou.

"You're stupid, dog." he said simply. "You don't know what you've missed in this woman."

"Believe it or not, yes I do." he answered. Kouga just shook his head and scooped Kagome up, bridal style, just like Inuyasha had been holding her moments before. It broke his heart to see that she did not struggle away from the wolf prince like she had with him. In fact, she turned herself into his chest and rested her head on him. When she was situated, Kouga took off into the air, leaving Inuyasha standing on the ground, wondering if he had done the right thing after all by letting her go again……

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A/N - Okay peeps. How's it going? Hope you guys are enjoying this story thoroughly. 

  
I just wanted to explain a little about this chapter before you guys left out. I know it seems a little odd that Inuyasha would let her go, but here's the explanation.

Inuyasha knows that there is something going on with him and Kikyou. He knows that there is something making him want to forget about Kagome and go to Kikyou. So, he wants to break that tie to Kikyou before he goes back to Kagome. As for Kagome giving him one last chance, she realized that Kikyou is using her restored miko powers to play with Inuyasha's mind. That is why she said they would talk about him having something to do with the child when he finally got rid of Kikyou once and for all. 

But the big question looming above his head is, will he be able to figure out how to deal with Kikyou and still keep Kagome from getting tied anymore closely with Kouga and the wolf pack. Remember, he still does have some latent feelings for Kikyou. He did love her for a very long time after all. Will he have enough time to figure out what to do?

We'll see…..


	23. Chapter 23

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Disclaimer - It's not mine. Never was.

Okay, I just wanted to thank everyone for their reviews. And I have a few special words for a few people.

Filling in the Blanks

Miroku and Sango continued to push their way through the paths that led back to the village they had spent so much time in in the past few years. They were headed back to Kaede's village to visit and give the news of their soon to be wedding. The path they were on was worn, but they knew the location well. After climbing over the hill they were on, Kaede's village would be in sight. They had picked Shippou up along the way, and he was bouncing around the path, urging them to go faster.

"I want to see Kagome." he whined. 

"Shippou," Miroku said gently. "Kagome may not even be at Kaede's village. We are not sure of that, yet."

"She'll be there. I know it." he said, with all the finesse a child could muster. Sango smiled down at the kitsune and patted his head.

"If Kagome is not there, we can always send her word by way of the well." she said with a smile. 

"I know." Shippou said. He bounded up ahead of them, then stopped suddenly and sniffed the air. He had picked up Kagome's scent on the evening wind, and he had noticed that it was different. He also could tell it was mingled with Kouga's. He frowned, shaking his head in confusion when he picked up the foreign smell intertwined in her sweet smell. He suddenly realized what it was. _'Kagome's pregnant!'_ he thought, shocked with the revelation. _'Kagome's pregnant! Oh, man, is Inuyasha going to catch it now! I wonder if he knows yet?'_

When Sango and Miroku caught up with them, they stopped to look out over the top of the hill and down into Kaede's village. Shippou had grown quiet, and Sango quickly questioned what was wrong.

"Shippou, is everything alright?" she asked. The kitsune frowned and put his hands on his hips.

"Kagome is here." he said. "I can smell her."

"Well, I thought that's what you wanted." Miroku said, looking down at the kit. "You don't seem to pleased now. What is it?"

"Kouga's with her." the kit said. 

"So, what's wrong with that?" Sango asked.

"Ummm, well…" the kit stuttered. "Nothing is wrong, exactly. I just think we need to get to the village, and quick. I have a feeling Kagome has something she needs to tell us." He took off down the hill after that, bounding away as fast as he could towards the hut in the center of the village. Sango looked at her soon to be husband and frowned.

"Is it just me, or do you get the feeling something is not quite right with Kagome at the moment?"

"We shall find out when we see Kaede." he said. "Let us go now." Sango nodded and walked down the hill with Miroku, wondering what could have possibly happened to her friend this time.

When they finally got to the hut that Kaede called home, they were not too surprised to see Kagome sitting on the floor of the hut, sipping a cup of tea. 

"Sango!" Kagome called out, getting up from her spot on the floor. "How are you?" The demon exterminator smiled at Kagome's exuberance. "What brings you back here?"

"Well, Miroku and I wanted to come see how everyone was doing, and give you some good news, and we thought we'd bring Shippou along also. He seemed to miss you an awful lot." she answered. Kagome looked around and saw the little kitsune standing near the door, looking at her with a curious glint in his eyes. Kagome smiled at him and held open her arms, like she always had.

"Shippou." she said with a smile. "How have you been?" The little kitsune looked at her and shook his head.

"I'm fine, Kagome." he said quietly. "How have you been?" Kagome shuddered when she noticed that the little boy's eyes focused on her stomach. _'Oh, boy.'_ Kagome thought suddenly. _'How am I going to explain this to him?' _

"I'm fine Shippou. Now, where's my hug?" the little kitsune suddenly gave a bright smile and leaped into the girl's outstretched arms. He snuggled down into his surrogate mother's arms and sighed contentedly.

"I missed you so much, Kagome." he said quickly. "I love living with my family, but I miss you so much. Do you have to go back to your time? You could come live with me and momma and poppa." Kagome smiled and looked at the little boy. He always did have the habit of speaking very fast when he got overly excited. She hugged him and let him climb up onto her shoulder and burrow into her hair. Miroku smiled and pulled Sango to him, his arm around her waist. Kagome watched the two and waited for the inevitable slap Miroku was about to receive, but when it didn't come, she shook her head in confusion. Shippou looked at his surrogate mother and smiled. He had figured out what was going on between the two humans not long after they had picked him up on the way to Kaede's village. Kagome turned to the little boy with a confused look on her face.

"Uh, Shippou, did I miss something here?" she asked. The kitsune smiled and looked back to the exterminator and monk.

"That was the good news we wanted to tell you, Kagome." Sango said with a smile.

"You decided to quit bashing Miroku's head in every time he touches you?" she asked, eyeing the lecher's now healed hand. Sango grinned and Miroku scowled at her playfully.

"I am offended, Kagome." he said sternly. 

"You would be, wouldn't you monk?" came an aged voice from the back of the hut. The occupants turned around and saw Kaede coming in with a bowl of soup and some leaves. She sat them on the nearby table and greeted the newcomers. After exchanging pleasantries, Kagome turned back to Sango and Miroku.

"So what was the good news?" she asked. Sango smiled and hugged Miroku tightly.

"We're getting married." she said happily. Kagome blinked a few times and shook her head.

"You're what?" she asked. Miroku frowned at the girl.

"Is it that hard to believe, Kagome?" he asked solemnly, thinking she was not happy with their decision. "We thought you'd be happy for us." Kagome's face suddenly lit up with happiness for the two. She ran to Sango and pulled her into a bear hug.

"I am happy!!" she said excitedly. "I just wasn't expecting that!" The girls embraced tightly while Miroku watched them. He glanced over at Kaede and nodded. The old woman had a smile on her lips, but when it turned into a frown suddenly, Miroku became puzzled. He walked over to the priestess and looked at her.

"Is something the matter, Lady Kaede?" he asked. "Why are you look so sad?"

"I am afraid I can not say what bothers me, child." she said. "Although I am very happy you and Sango will wed. It is about time, I might add." Miroku grinned and nodded as he watched Kagome and Sango walk over to him. 

"We were about to eat some lunch," Kaede said quickly. "Are you two hungry?" The newly engaged couple nodded and Kaede left to get more food. 

She returned moments later, laden with three more bowls of hot soup. As they took their seats, Kaede passed the bowls to each one of them. They sat down and began to eat of the wonderful food. 

Sango noticed that Kagome had put something else in her bowl of soup. It looked like the crushed up leaves of a elderberry tree, but she was not sure. She looked at the girl and questions filled her mind. 

Elderberry leaves were medicinal leaves usually ingested by women at the beginning of a pregnancy to help keep blood levels up and healthy. _'Why would Kagome……OH NO!!!! She's not pregnant!!!" _ the exterminator thought quickly. After calming herself a little, she decided to find out what was going on, in a round about way. 

"What did you put in your soup, Kagome?" she asked nonchalantly. "It tasted wonderful as it was." Kagome seemed to pale considerably at the question, and Sango was surprised. Kaede remained silent, and Shippou started fidgeting in his place. 

"Is everything alright, Kagome?" she asked, full of concern suddenly. "You seem to have become quite pale all of a sudden. Do you not feel well?" Kagome looked up at the girl and nodded. _'I might as well tell them now.' _ she thought dejectedly. _'I mean, Shippou already knows, what's the harm in them finding out?'_

She cleared her throat and looked at the two people sitting across from her.

"There is something I need to tell you." she said sullenly. Shippou gave her a half grin and climbed into her lap, hugging her when he saw that she was about to start crying.

"It's alright, Kagome." the little boy said. "Nothing is going to change with us, I promise." 

"What is it, Kagome?" Miroku asked, worried that she was fatally ill or something worse than that.

"Kagome, what's wrong?" Sango asked insistently, moving from her place beside Miroku. She hugged the younger girl and waited for her to answer. Kagome cleared her throat and shook her head.

"I'm pregnant." she said quietly. Sango looked at the girl and shook her head.

"You're what?" she asked, not quite believing what she was saying.

"I'm pregnant." Kagome said again. "And it's Inuyasha's child."

"How did this happen?" Miroku asked. Shippou looked up at the monk and frowned.

"I was thinking that you, of all people, would know the mechanics of a woman getting pregnant." he deadpanned looking up at the monk. Kagome couldn't help but laugh a little at the look on Miroku's face when the little kitsune said that. Kagome stifled her tears and related the story of what had happened to her two friends. They listened intently, wanting to know what would happen to the child now that Inuyasha and Kagome had separated. When the story was finished, and everything put away, Kagome went for a walk with Shippou, while Miroku and Sango took a walk into the woods. 

Both the demon exterminator and the monk were worried about Kagome. The girl seemed quite upset about the entire ordeal, but knowing Kagome, she would do what she had to in order for the child to live. They were both surprised when she had sprung the news on them. Sango was positively livid by the time Kagome had finished telling her how Inuyasha had given up all rights to the child. Miroku had had to keep her from stalking out of the hut and going to hunt down the half demon and killing him. Kagome had explained what she knew, and that had calmed the girl down some. Miroku was sure that his intended's temper had not calmed down yet, so he remained silent. 

When they were far enough away from the village, he stopped and looked out into the trees.

"When are we going to have children, Sango?" he asked quietly. "You'd make such a good mother, much like Kagome. You always did have a way with children." The girl looked at him and smiled.

"Monk, we won't be having any children until we get married." she said firmly.

"I wasn't implying anything. I just wanted to know." he said defensively. "Don't get so upset." Sango sighed and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Miroku." she apologized. "I just can't believe the bad lunch Kagome's been through lately. I thought once we had finished the jewel, things would be easier on all of us. It looks like I was wrong."

"You can't be right all of the time, love." he said, holding her close to him. "Everyone makes mistakes."

"I just don't think Kagome should have to go through this alone." she answered. "She doesn't deserve this kind of treatment from him."

"I don't think she's going to be alone, Sango." Miroku said with a grin. "From what she told us, Kouga seems to have taken an interest in her even more now that Inuyasha is out of the way." Sango nodded and smiled at her soon to be husband.

"You're right." she said. "Kouga has always chased after Kagome. But with Inuyasha around, he barely had a chance. Maybe now that he's preoccupied with Kikyou, Kouga will be able to get a little head way."

"Kouga is a good demon for Kagome." Miroku said. "He's always been gentle with her, even when he had kidnapped her that one time. I truly think he cares deeply for her."

"I hope you're right, Miroku." she said sadly. "I just hope you're right."

"I hope I'm right too, love." he said quietly. They stayed silent for a few more minutes, each lost in their thoughts about Kagome and her current predicament. "So, when DO we get to start practicing for children?" Miroku asked with a grin, and a playful pat on Sango's rear end. The girl blushed a violent red color and was about to slap the lecherous monk out of habit when he caught her hand and gently pinned her to a tree.

"You hentai!" she said loudly. "Is that all you think about?" 

"When I'm around you…yes." he said, kissing her soundly on the lips. Sango gave in and returned the kiss. There was no point in trying to push him away. He'd just come back for more. 

When he finally ended the kiss, Sango rested her head on his shoulder. Miroku seemed sated for the moment. _'That won't last long.'_ she though with a grin. _'At the rate he's going, I'll be happy when we finally get married.'_

"I wish Kagome could be this happy, like us." Sango said quietly. Miroku stroked the girl's hair and smiled. 

"I have a feeling her happiness will soon show itself." he said. "And I have a strong feeling it will be in the form of a certain wolf prince."

"I hope so." Sango said. "I really do. After all she's been through, she should be happy."

"She will be, love." Miroku answered. "Just give it time. Fate works in mysterious ways."

"Yeah, look how long it took us." Sango laughed. Miroku gave her a treacherous grin and hugged her.

"You know, we could quit waiting and….." he began.

"Don't even think about it, Miroku." she said firmly. "The first time you'll get any will be on our wedding night. Not a minute before."

"But, Sango…." he whined. "That's days away." Sango looked a the frustrated man and smiled coyly.

"Only if you want to wait until we get back to my village. Then we have to wait until a priest can marry us." she said pointedly. 

"What?"

"You're so thick sometimes, Miroku." Sango said with a grin. 

"I'm missing something, aren't I?" he asked. Sango nodded and grinned, waiting to see if he could figure out why she had wanted to come back to Kaede's village. When he shrugged his shoulders in defeat, Sango frowned.

"Kaede can marry us, Miroku." Sango said pointedly. "She's a priestess after all." Miroku looked like he was a little boy about to get an early Christmas present when her words sunk into his brain. Sango grinned and nodded. She had figured that Kaede could marry them quicker than any other priest in her own village, and had gotten Miroku to come with her to the village.

Unfortunately, she had not figured on running into a distraught Kagome in the process. Sango knew that being married while Kagome was around was kind of cold hearted and selfish, especially after what the future girl had just gone through with Inuyasha. But the two women were like sisters, and Sango wanted Kagome at her side when she exchanged her vows with the lecherous monk.

"So that's why you insisted on coming back to see Kaede." he said, grinning like a madman. Sango nodded and smiled at him. "But what about your father, and mother?" he asked suddenly, remembering her wish to have her father at her wedding.

"We can have another ceremony with them." she said. "It's traditional to have two in my village anyway." Miroku grinned and picked her up.

"You're the best, Sango." he whispered to her. "I love you."  
"I love you too, Miroku." she answered him lovingly. 

They walked back to the village and asked Kaede if she would be willing to marry them. She agreed to, and Sango asked Kagome to be by her side when they exchanged their vows. The younger girl nodded, accepting her position with her usual exuberance.

But when everything was over with, and the plans were made for the wedding ceremony the next day, no one in the village missed the look of sadness that had clouded over Kagome's eyes. 

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A/N - Hello everyone. How'd this chappy go. Well, now Miroku and Sango know what's going on. And their wedding is in the next chappy. Hope you guys enjoyed. I'm kinda in a rush at the moment. So, leave me a review if you don't mind. I want to know what you guys think. Later.

A.A.


	24. Chapter 24

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Disclaimer - It's not mine. It never was.

A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update, everyone. Things are getting busy here and I'm about to go batty. Anyways, hope you enjoy this chapter, and I'll try not to take so long when I update again. Later. A.A.

A Wedding

The next morning broke clear and beautiful for the village. Kagome was up at the crack of dawn due to the fact that she had barely slept all night. When she was able to drift into an uncomfortable sleep, her mind was filled of pictures of Inuyasha and Kouga, fighting to the death. It always ended with her, sitting on the ground holding a small baby in her arms, and the bodies of the wolf prince and the hanyou lying beside her covered in blood. As her eyes searched over the occupants of the hut, she felt her heart wrench. Sango and Miroku were lying side by side across the room, cuddled together and sleeping peacefully. She watched them for a few moments, noting how the monk had a protective arm around the exterminator's small waist. Eventually she decided to take a walk in the village to clear her mind.

It was still early, and very few of the villagers would be up and going at this time of the morning. 

She got out of her bed and silently walked to the front of the hut, careful not to rouse the sleeping kitsune also in the room. She stepped out into the cool morning air and shivered. Winter was on its way, that much was for sure. She stated walking, and before long, she found herself standing at the Bone Eater's well. For a while, she just stood there, caught up in her thoughts about Inuyasha and Kikyou, but most importantly, about her unborn child. She sat down on the side of the well, her back to the rising sun.

"You should not be out this early, Lady. You will catch a cold." came a strong female voice from the wood's shadows. Kagome turned towards the voice and smiled when Kuarasama came out of the morning shadows.

"Thank you for your concern, Kuarasama. But what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with your pack?" Kagome asked, finding it odd that the demoness was this far away from her family members.

"I need to speak with you about Lord Kouga, Lady Kagome." Kuarasama said softly, sitting on the ground in front of the girl.

"Kouga? Is something wrong?" Kagome asked quickly, fright rising in her throat. She suddenly remembered her dream from the night before, and she panicked. "Is he hurt? I'll kill Inuyasha myself if he's done anything to Kouga!!" The demoness chuckled, but shook her head.

"He is fine, Lady." she answered, smiling up at the girl. "However, Inuyasha is what I came to speak with you about." Kagome flinched at the sound of her ex-lover's name, but said nothing.

"Go on." Kagome prompted uneasily, not really wanting to talk about him.

"Lady, the child you carry is not Lord Kouga's, is it? It is the hanyou's, is it not?" she asked forwardly.

"The child is Inuyasha's, yes. I do not deny it." Kagome answered curtly. 

"What are you going to do?" Kuarasama asked again. She could tell that the girl was uncomfortable with the conversation topic, but she needed answers.

"Inuyasha wants only to see the child one time after it is born. After that, he has forfeited all rights over to me." Kagome said slowly, forcing her eyes not to water.

"That is what I wanted to speak with you about, Lady. Will you rear the child in your home, or in ours?" Kuarasama asked. Kagome seemed to think about the question for a while, but she finally shrugged, signifying her confusion.

"I don't know. I am afraid that I will have to raise the child in this era, seeing as how demons are not very welcome in my time."

"The child needs to be raised with its own kind, Lady." Kuarasama said. "Demons need to be with their own kind."

"Inuyasha will NOT raise this child!" Kagome said fiercely, glaring at the demoness. "And I highly doubt Sesshoumauro will take the child in considering it will be three-quarters human."

"I meant that the child should be raised with demons, Lady. The child will be part demon, even though it is a very little amount. The child will need people similar to itself. Even you, as its mother, realizes that you cannot teach it everything it will need to know about our world. Even you, who have spent a considerable amount of time in our world, still do not know of all of our customs and beliefs." Kuarasama said gently. "Lord Kouga has already said he will help when needed." Kagome shook her head and rolled her eyes.   
"Kouga would adopt me into your pack if I'd let him." Kagome answered with a small smile and a shake of her head.

"Why don't you? What's stopping you from becoming a member of our family, Lady? Truth be told, you are already Kouga's intended, if only in name." Kuarasama said slowly.

"Intended? What does that mean?" The miko asked. She was not sure she liked the sound of that too much.

"Lord Kouga wants you to become his mate." the demoness explained. "He loves you deeply, Lady Kagome. And it is rare for a full blooded demon to ever find true love. Kouga has found it with you, and he wants to keep it."

"Does he really love me, though? Or is this some kind of come uppance to show Inuyasha up one last time?" Kagome asked, looking down at the ground. She wanted to believe that Kouga loved her, and wanted to look after her. But her recent problems with Inuyasha were eating away at the confidence she had with the handsome wolf prince. 

"No, Lady. Unlike the hanyou, Lord Kouga's intentions are pure and honest. He would make you his mate now, but because of recent turns in events, he is waiting." The woman said. Kagome looked a little confused at what Kuarasama had said.

"Waiting for what?" Kagome asked. "I don't understand." 

Kuarasama took a deep breath, knowing that what she had to say next would be what Kagome did not necessarily want to hear. The demoness could see the love between the miko and the prince of the tribe; everyone could. The demon in her wondered why Kouga did not go ahead and take Kagome as his mate, and screw what the hanyou had to say about it. But the more rational side, the woman in her, knew that Kagome could only love one man. And at the beginning, it had been Inuyasha that Kagome had loved. Now that the hanyou was gone, the attraction and love between Kouga and Kagome was more apparent, and more free to do its magic without interference. Even though the miko now carried a child within her from the hanyou, Kouga still loved her enough to raise the child as his own. And any demon in the world knew that if a male was willing to take in the offspring of a completely different male, the woman was the reason for it. And Kagome was Kouga's reason for breathing right now. 

"He's waiting for you to accept him." Kuarasama said slowly, searching for the right words to express her concerns and feelings. "Demons like Kouga have frail egos, and a strong sense of commitment to the people they love and admire. He does not want to see you hurting. He wants to help you move on and see what is beyond Inuyasha, but he will not do it unless you ask him to. To put it in shorter terms, he is waiting to make sure that you are given time to get over Inuyasha's indiscretion. He does not want to seem pushy, and force himself on you. He wants you to come to him for help, for comfort. He wants you to voluntarily be by his side because you return his love and affections, and not because it is a form of revenge against the hanyou; or because you are on the rebound, so to speak."

"He really does care then?" Kagome asked, bewildered. She knew that Kouga had liked her, but she had not known that it really went that deep. She always thought he pursued her to anger Inuyasha, apparently she had been wrong.

"More than you realize, I'm afraid, Lady Kagome." Kuarasama said. "Every time you come to see the pups, he watches you interact with them. Deep in his mind, he is wishing that you were playing with his children, the children that wants so badly with you. He even told Ginta one time that he would give anything for you to be by his side for the rest of your lives." Kuarasama looked at the shocked face of the miko above her. The old demoness knew that the truth would shock the younger girl, but she was not finished yet. Kuarasama had seen Kouga go through enough Hell while Inuyasha was around. And the more of the truth Kagome knew, the better off they all were. "I'll bet you never knew that Kouga turned down an alliance with the northern tribe because of you."

"Excuse me?" Kagome asked, still trying to fathom all of this. She had known about Ayame's affections for the prince, but nothing of another female. Kuarasama nodded and continued with her story.

"The leader of the northern tribes wished to form an alliance between our tribe and his own. As a show of friendship, the leader sent his youngest daughter to Kouga, along with instructions to mate with her if he choose to." Kagome looked horrified, but only shook her head.

"Did he…" she began. The demoness shook her head, a small smile on her lips.

"No. Kouga did not take the girl, as far as anyone knows. She has stayed with us, as a member of our family, but Kouga never bedded her. And he never did because of you, Lady Kagome. He did not want to loose your respect. And it is disrespectful to a male demon to take another female after he has already decided on his mate."

"So, he gave up the alliance with the northern tribes, because of me?" Kagome asked again. 

"No, the alliance is still there, just not as strong as it could have been. Since there were never any children born of Kouga and the northern demoness, the bond is not solidified. Kouga's devotion to you never wavered." Kuarasama said with a smile. Kagome stayed quiet for a moment, trying to figure out why Kouga would put her before the well being of his tribe. It suddenly struck her that Kouga may be the answer to her unspoken prayers, but it all suddenly came crashing down when she remembered her unborn child, the child of Kouga's enemy.

"What about my child, Kuarasama?" Kagome asked quietly. "Even if I did become part of your pack, my child would be looked down upon because it is inu-youkai, and not wolf youkai."

"If you ever did become part of the pack, the child would be raised as the others are, in the ways of our tribe. He or she would be accepted as a part of the family, just like you would." she explained. "Of course I'm sure Kouga would waste no time getting you with child again, after this one is born, but your child would not be turned away because of its parentage. You were marked by the inu-hanyou when the child was conceived. That's all that matters. You had done what was considered proper for a mate to the hanyou; therefore, you did nothing wrong. He is in the fault, not you." Kagome nodded, understanding what she was trying to tell her. She looked at the older woman and almost started crying, but she stopped herself. 

"I'm just scared, Kuarasama." she said finally. "I want to believe what you are telling me, but I do not want to be hurt again."

"Trust me, Lady. Kouga would give his life to keep you from hurting. It's because of you he hasn't killed the hanyou already."

"Really?" she said, surprised. "I have a hard time believing that."

"Yes, Lady." the demoness answered. "It's true. You asked him not to kill the hanyou, and he hasn't. At least not yet." 

By now, the sun was about to break over the tree tops, and Kagome looked up to watch the light filter through the leaves of the trees. The demoness looked into the forest and sighed. "I must be going, Lady Kagome." she said. "But I beg of you to think of what I have said." She stood and stretched, but Kagome stopped her once again.

"Kuarasama?"

"Yes?"

"What does the rest of the pack think of me? What would be their reaction if I ever did become Kouga's mate?" Kagome asked. Kuarasama smiled and patted the girl on the back before hugging her tightly.

"They love you, Kagome." the woman answered truthfully. "In fact, the elders keep wondering what Kouga keeps screwing up that makes you wait. Most of them think it's his fault you aren't already in our ranks." Kagome smiled and shook her head, her cheeks blushing slightly. Kuarasama grinned, but her happiness faltered when she realized that Kouga's father had not approved the joining of his son yet. The Eastern Lord was notorious for keeping his bloodline purely demonic, and Kuarasama was afraid Kouga may run into some problems with his father when the match with Kagome came up. _'Humph, Kouga will be with Kagome. All he has to do is mention the situation between his father and Lady Laniko. That will change the Lord's mind quickly.'_

"Thank you, Kuarasama." the miko said with a smile. "Thank you."

"Yes, m'lady." she answered. "Just do not make him wait long, please. He is going crazy as it is, wondering and worrying about the safety of you and the child." With that final thought, Kuarasama reverted to her wolf form and ran into the underbrush of the forest. 

Kagome watched as the demoness disappeared into the thick coverings, all the while a smile on her face. Kuarasama's visit had made her feel better. She turned back towards the village and walked more confident, knowing that at least one person still cared for her enough to worry about her and the unborn child.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that same day….

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Miroku and Sango's wedding was to commence at noon. As a treat for the new bride, a few of the younger village women for-went their normal chores for the day and helped Kagome and Sango to prepare for the ceremony. Kagome was to act as sort of a modern day bridesmaid for the exterminator. That honor, coupled with the conversation she had had with Kuarasama earlier that morning helped make her feel better, if only a little. Unfortunately for Miroku, he was banned from the back part of Kaede's hut when the girls drug Kagome and Sango in to get ready.

When it was over with, Sango was dressed in a white kimono and obi that had pink sakura blossoms on the hem and cuffs. Her long hair, usually pulled back into a ponytail, hung loose down her back. All in all, the tom-boyish exterminator was a beautiful woman who was aglow in happiness. 

After they were finished with Sango, Kagome was the next one. She was dressed in a dark blue kimono and obi. Like Sango's the hem and the cuffs were lined in sakura blossoms. The village girls were about to comb out her thick, raven locks when Kagome produced two white hair combs from her pack. Sango almost had a fit when she saw them.

"Kagome! Where did you get those? They are absolutely gorgeous!" The exterminator exclaimed. 

"They were a gift." she said quietly, remembering when she had went to see the pups in Kouga's pack. 

Some of the young women took the combs and looked at them carefully, noting the smooth finish and the strength present in the lines. A soft smile of remembrance crossed Kagome's face, and Sango smiled. The bride to be rescued the combs and sent the village girls out the room. She wanted to speak with Kagome alone. Kagome did not seem to notice when the other girls left, but she broke out of her revere when Sango began brushing her hair.

"Who gave them to you, Kagome?" she asked. "They really are beautifully made." The miko sighed and lowered her head.

"Some of the children from Kouga's pack made them for me, as a present. They gave them to me the last time I visited them." Sango only smiled and took the combs from the girl. She knew that Kagome's fondness for the wolf cubs spilled over into fondness for the leader of the pack, but she said nothing about it. 

Throughout the years they had searched for the shards of the Shikon jewel, Kouga had been there to help when they needed him, often times popping up rather unexpectedly. He had almost died at the hands of a bear youkai while trying to protect Kagome after Inuyasha had been knocked out. Even the time when Inuyasha had lost Tetsusaiga and transformed into a monster, Kouga had withstood the assault to stop him from getting to Kagome. It was then that Sango, as well as Miroku and Shippou -and probably even Inuyasha-, realized that Kouga cared deeply for the human girl._ 'Soon,'_ Sango thought, _'Soon she will realize that Kouga does love her. I just hope it is not too late by then.'_

Sango pulled Kagome's hair back and secured it with the two combs on each side of her head, leaving some of the hair to hang in the back, down the kimono.

"There." she said with a smile. "All finished." Kagome stood and nodded, grabbing her friends hand and heading towards the door. 

"Let's go." Kagome said with a grin. "You don't want to keep Miroku waiting, do you?" Sango's only reply was to blush.

"I can't believe we're finally going to be together, Kagome." Sango beamed. "It's like a dream come true." Kagome gave a light chuckle and hugged her friend.

"I'm so happy for you, Sango. No one deserves happiness more than you and Miroku. No one at all." Sango smiled again and the two girls walked outside to where Kaede and Miroku were standing, along with the majority of the village. 

Sango stepped in front of her and slowly began walking down the passage way the villagers had left open for her. Kagome followed, and took her place to Sango's left when she finally got to Miroku's side. Kaede began matrimonial sayings that would forever bond the exterminator and the monk together, and Kagome held back tears of sadness and loneliness. 

"No one deserves happiness more than you and Miroku." she whispered quietly. "No one except maybe….me."

****

A/N - Okay. I'm terribly sorry for taking so long to update. I've been majorly busy. School is a horrible, horrible thing.

Anyway, I hope you guys like these chapters.   
Remember to leave me a review telling me what you thought about it. 

Later.

A.A.


	25. Chapter 25

****

Disclaimer - It's not mine. It never was.

A/N - I hope you guys are enjoying this. I am really sorry for taking so long to update.

The Wedding, part II

-

About that time….

-

Kouga and Keiko were on their way to Kaede's village to speak with the old miko about some herbs that Keiko had found when they came upon the gathering of people surrounding Kaede's hut. Keiko looked around and noticed the ceremony being done at the front of the group. She smiled and nodded towards Kouga, who followed her in confusion. He had sighted Kagome, and had almost forgotten to breath. Keiko finally grabbed his ear and pulled him behind the hut.

"What's going on, Keiko?" he asked, confused as to why they were all standing around Kagome and her friends.

"The monk and the exterminator are being bound together." she said, as a way of explanation. "They are being wed, and it is not proper for us to interrupt while Lady Kaede is performing the ceremony." Kouga still looked a little confused at her words, so Keiko tried again. "They have chosen each other as mates, the exterminator and the monk, this is part of the mating ceremony for humans." Kouga understood that and turned back towards the grouping. "Where are you going, Kouga? I told you we will wait until the ceremony is over before speaking with Lady Kaede."

"I'm not going to do anything." he said gruffly. "I just want to see what happens." Keiko smiled and watched as the wolf prince walked around the hut and back towards the group.

When he got back to the group of surrounding people, he saw Kagome look out towards the sea of people. _'She must have sensed me.'_ he thought. Sure enough, Kagome's eyes settled almost immediately on his, and he was gifted with a smile from her. He saw surprise register on her face before her attention was turned to Kaede, and the speech. He watched as she played her part in the ceremony, handing Sango the ring that would bind Miroku to her for the rest of their mortal lives. Kouga noticed that there was a slight change in her posture when the monk kissed his wife and Kaede pronounced them man and wife. But it was fleeting, as she smiled at her friends, and picked the kitsune up to give him a hug.

The villagers began to disperse, none really taking note of the full blooded demon's presence since they had seen him many times since the mess with Kagome and Inuyasha had went down. He watched as Kagome hugged Miroku and Sango, giving them well wishes before coming over to him.

"What are you doing here, Kouga?" she asked nervously, remembering the conversation with Kuarasama earlier that day. Unbeknownst to her, Kuarasama had said nothing to anyone about her impromptu trip into Kaede's village, nor had she said anything about speaking with Kagome since the trip had only been meant to reassure Kagome of Kouga's intentions. Kouga smiled and hugged the girl gently, making sure not to squeeze her too hard.

"Keiko needed to speak with Lady Kaede about some herbs she had found in the forest, and I decided to come along to see if you were here." he said. "How are you feeling?" Kagome smiled.

"I'm fine actually." she said, rather quickly. "Sango and Miroku had decided to visit Kaede, so I'm glad I stayed a few extra days. I got to see them wed. So everything seems to be going good for a change." She knew she was babbling, but Shippou saved her from further embarrassment by jumping onto her shoulder and burrowing into her hair that was hanging.

"Shippou!" she scolded him lightly. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing, Kagome." came the muffled response.

"Then why are you hiding?" she asked, trying to reach up and undo the kit from her hair.

"Miroku and Sango just told me that they're leaving to go back to her village in a few hours, and I've got to go with them so they can take me home." he whined. "I don't want to go. I want to stay here with you!" Shippou poked his head around her shoulder and looked at the girl with watery puppy eyes. "I don't have to go, do I Kagome?" he asked. "I don't have to go back if I don't want to, right? Besides, someone needs to make sure that you and the baby are safe. And I can't do that if I'm not here." Kagome blushed scarlet and looked at Kouga, who was holding back a laugh.

"Shippou, listen to me." Kagome said gently. "I'm going back home this evening."

"But Kagome… Why? Why do you have to go back so soon?"  
"Now listen, Shippou," she said. "I've got to go back home and see the doctor about my baby. I've got to make sure that it is healthy and strong."

"It's part youkai," Shippou said matter of factly. "Of course it's strong, even if baka Inuyasha is the father." Kagome smiled and shook her head.

"Yes, I know, Shippou, but I still have to go."

"When are you going to come back?" the kitsune asked, eyeing his surrogate mother.

'Yeah, good question, kit. When is she coming back?' Kouga thought to himself.

"I'm not sure, Shippou." Kagome said. "But if you go with Miroku and Sango so they can bring you back to your parents, I'll bring you a big surprise when I do come back." Shippou suddenly smiled and started bouncing up and down.

"A surprise?" he asked quickly. "What kind of surprise? Huh, Kagome? What are you going to bring me?" Kouga smiled at the change in the child, and held back a laugh as Kagome knelt down and straightened the shirt the little boy had on.

"Now if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?" she said with a smile. Shippou shook his head and Kagome smiled again. "That's what I thought. Now, go get your stuff together and get ready to leave. I'll talk to you again before you leave." Shippou smiled and hugged his surrogate mother before bounding off into the hut to gather his things. Kagome stood up and looked at Kouga, who was grinning like a clown. "What?" she asked. "What'd I do?"

"Your way with children astounds me." he said simply. Kagome grinned and stepped back.

"Yeah, well, I like kids." she said.

"Your going to make a wonderful mother." Kouga said. Kagome's smile seemed to fade a little, but she would not let it go. He suddenly wanted to kick himself for saying anything about it.

"I sure hope so." she said.

"I've got faith in you, Kagome." he said. "You know that."

"Thank you, Kouga." she said. "I need that right now." The wolf prince only smiled and put an arm around the girl's shoulders. It was then that he noticed the combs in her hair.

"You're wearing the combs that Toma gave you!" he exclaimed. Kagome nodded and reached under her kimono, pulling out the wolf head pendant that the other children had given her.

"The pendant too." she said with a smile. "Don't look like you're going to have a heart attack, Kouga. What did you think I was going to do with them? Throw them away?"

"I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't for you to be wearing them." he admitted. Kagome shook her head and was about to walk off when Kouga stopped her again. He did not want to deal with Kaede right now, and he wanted to talk to Kagome a little more before he and Keiko left.

"Want to go for a walk?" he asked suddenly. Kagome seemed surprised but nodded anyway.

"Sure. Let's go." she said. They walked down the lane and into the forest before either of them said a word. Kouga seemed nervous and up tight about something, and Kagome wasn't sure as to why.

"Is something wrong, Kouga?" she asked quietly. "You seem a little out of sorts."

"I'm fine, Kagome." he said. "Just worried about……things."

"Oh, I see." she said. "Want to talk about it?" The wolf prince shook his head and looked out into the forest.

"No. There's nothing I can do about it really, so I don't even know why I'm worrying with it."

"I'm sure whatever it is will work its way out." Kagome said. They were at the river that fed into the hot springs south of the village. She suddenly got an idea and smirked. She walked over to Kouga and hugged him. Kouga seemed a little taken back by the unexpected move, but he hugged her anyway.

"Thanks, Kagome." he said. "I just needed some reassurance."

"I don't think you need to be thanking me yet." she mumbled.

"What?" he asked, confused. With that, Kagome pushed the demon into the warm river water.

Kouga wasn't expecting the shove, and even with his demon speed and balance, he wasn't able to stop himself from hitting the water. He came up from the water, sputtering and coughing. When he pushed his hear out of the way, he glared up at Kagome, who was laughing like crazy.

"What was that for, woman?" he growled. Kagome snickered and stepped away from the bank.

"You looked like you could use a good laugh." she said. " I just thought I'd supply you with one."

"Does it look like I'm laughing right now?" he menaced. If it would have been any other person, Kouga's growl would have sounded threatening. But since Kagome was used to it, she only laughed.

"You are laughing, on the inside at least." she smiled. She took another step back and laughed some more.

"You know what would be really funny, Kagome?" he asked, eyeing the girl and smirking. Kagome knew what that look meant and she turned tail and ran as fast as she could in the kimono. Unfortunately, Kouga caught her in two seconds. And two seconds after that, she felt herself fall into the warm river water.

She came up sputtering and coughing, much like Kouga had only minutes before hand. She looked to her left, where the wolf prince was standing on the bank, soaking wet and laughing like a hyena.

"Now THAT'S funny!" he said, laughing at her sullen expression. Kagome stuck her tongue out at him and crossed her arms over her chest. She hadn't intended on getting wet herself, she just wanted Kouga to lighten up a bit.

"You are in so much trouble when I get out of here." she said.

"I'm scared." he said. "I'm so scared."

"Good." she said primly. "You should be.." Kouga watched as the girl took the outer, blue kimono off , as well as the obi. This left her in only a white t-shirt and a pair of cut-off blue jean shorts she had put on underneath it. She balled the material up and threw it at the wolf youkai. "Catch!" she said as she threw it at him. Kouga caught the mess and looked at it curiously.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Well, since I'm already wet, I might as well go for a swim." she said. "No point not to since you decided to dump me in the river." Kouga grinned and dropped the bundle of wet clothing. Kagome had ducked down under the water, and when she came back up, Kouga was standing right in front of her.

"What?" she asked. "You want something?" Kouga grinned and nodded. The water had made the white shirt she was wearing mold to her body completely. Under the water, he could see her long legs, covered barely by the denim shorts she was wearing.

"Payback." he said simply. Kagome shook her head and started backing up again.

"Uh-uh!" she said. "You already got your revenge by dumping me in the river. What else do you want?" Kouga grinned and grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to go underwater. He let her go and she popped back up, swatting at him blindly. When she pushed her hair out of her eyes, she glared at the smug demon. "Happy now?" she asked. She reached up into her head to remove the combs, but they were tangled in her hair. Kouga suddenly lost the smile on his face as he walked back over to Kagome, intent on helping her get the combs out of her messy hair..

"Almost." he said quietly. He pushed Kagome's hands away and began to dis-entangle the combs from her hair. When he was finally able to get the two white combs from her hair, he handed them to her. Kagome smiled and looked up at him.

"Thank you, Kouga." she whispered. "Thank you so much." The wolf only smiled and nodded. His feelings for Kagome were multiplying rapidly, and the close proximity to her at the moment was wearing on his nerves.

"I think we need to go." he said. "Keiko should be done speaking with Kaede by now." Kagome nodded and walked out of the river. Kouga watched her carefully as she walked up the slight incline of the bank. He climbed out of the water and walked up to her.

He knew she may never return his feelings, but he had to try. Reaching out to her, he wrapped his arms around her small waist, mindful of the pressure he applied to her midsection. He buried his face in her wet hair and breathed deep. Her sweet smell invaded his senses, coupled with the smell of new life. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he wished that that smell of new life within her was because of him. _'One day, it will be.'_ he thought. He noticed that she did not shy away from him, or even tense up at the touch and that made him feel good knowing that she was not afraid of him.

Kagome was wondering what was going on when he hugged her so carefully. She had been away from Inuyasha for a little over a month, and the sensations of being held by a man again made her head spin. Inuyasha was the only one who had ever held her so tenderly, and her heart ached when she thought about it. But Kouga was not Inuyasha, and she knew that. She also knew that it was unlikely that she would ever have the hanyou to herself again, and for some odd reason it did not seem to bother her so much now when she thought about it.

She relaxed into the wolf prince's embrace and sighed. It felt good to be held again. She smiled when she felt him hold on a little tighter.

"I thought we were going back to the village." she said quietly.

"So did I." he said. She felt his hands on her sides, and Kagome's knees went weak. He was touching her so softly, so tenderly, so…lovingly. She suddenly remembered Kuarasama's words from earlier that morning. '_He would make you his mate right now, if you'd let him, Kagome.'_ she thought. She shook her head and tried to clear it.

"Kouga?" she said quietly. "Kouga, what are you doing?"

"Let me love you Kagome." he whispered to her. "I'm not going to hurt you, you know that." Kagome felt herself go weak at his words.

"Kouga...please…don't…" she said softly.

"Don't what, Kagome?" he asked, pushing her hair to one side and kissing her neck. Kagome shivered at the contact with the sensitive skin. The tension in the air was growing, and Kouga was sure he was about to suffocate from it. When he felt her shiver, his pride grew. The fact that he could elicit that kind of uncharacteristic response from her fueled his emotions.

"Kouga.."

"Let me help you, Kagome." he said quietly. "I don't want to see you hurting anymore. And today, at the ceremony for Miroku and Sango, you were hurting…badly. I saw it."

"I was…..happy for my….. friends." she said breathily. His touches were clouding her mind and her better judgment, but she did not want them to stop.

"Can you be happy for yourself?" he asked.

"I..I…"

"Please, Kagome…" he said. "Let me help you." He hugged her to him tighter, and Kagome was sure she could not stand on her feet if he had not have been holding her so tightly. She turned around to face the wolf demon. She searched is face for some sign that he was playing with her, some sign that he was only toying with her emotions. She found nothing but honest love and adoration.

"I don't want to hurt anymore, Kouga." she whispered.

"I won't let you, if you let me into your life, Kagome." he said. "Don't hold me at arms length because of what he done to you. I'm not Inuyasha." Kagome gave him a half hearted smile and cocked her head to one side.

"I'm glad your not." she said. "I don't think I'd be here right now if you were." Kouga smiled and kissed the miko's forehead. He wanted her to be happy. And he would do whatever it was to make her happy. "I know you won't do me like Inuyasha did, Kouga. You're more of a noble person than that."

"Then trust me, Kagome." he said.

"I…I already do." she said with a smile. "I have for a long time." Kouga smiled and leaned down closer to the girl. Kagome's breath caught and her eyes closed, unconsciously knowing that he was about to kiss her. When his lips were less than a millimeter from hers, he pulled her tighter and whispered,

"I'm glad to here that. Because you've had my trust, and my heart, since the first day I laid eyes on you." With that confession finally out of the way, he claimed Kagome's lips with a tender kiss that hid the real passion he felt for the strong woman. He wanted her with him, but he did not want to scare her from him. He pulled back and looked at Kagome, a small smirk on his lips as he took in her dazed expression. He kissed her again, this time a little harder, hoping that she would not turn away from him now. Much to his surprise, she matched him in intensity. He was in heaven, and would have stayed there, had they not been interrupted by a frantic Shippou looking for his surrogate mother.

"KAGOME! WHERE ARE YOU AT! KAGOME!" When the miko heard the kit's plaintive cry for her, she jumped out of Kouga's arms like she had been bitten by the very wolf who had been holding her. Kouga was a little dazed, but said nothing. He wanted to kill the little kit for interrupting them, but he was happy. Kagome, on the other hand, was utterly confusedto say the least. Kouga was worried that maybe he had hurt her, but when he went to reach out to her, Shippou came running through the underbrush and jumped into his surrogate mother's arms. He started firing questions at the young woman rapidly, and Kouga could not keep up with them all. His mind was recovering from the haze induced by Kagome's touch.

Before he could do anything, he saw Shippou running through the underbrush and back towards the village. He turned to Kagome and frowned.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Kagome looked at him and gave a half smile.

"Nothing." she said. "He is about to leave with Sango and Miroku, and he came to find me so I could tell them good-bye." She gathered up her soaking clothes and turned to leave, as though nothing had happened. Kouga, now out of the haze she had put him in, caught her gently and looked at her, fifty million questions running through his mind.

"Kagome, about what just happened….I'm sorry if I offended…" he said. Kagome smiled and placed one finger over his lips.

"It's alright, Kouga." she said with a true smile. "Don't be sorry, and please don't be offended. You did nothing wrong. You just helped me more than you realize. Just give me time to get myself straightened out. What we just did…well, let's just say it was your way of making my depressing day a whole lot better. A whole lot." She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss before turning around again. "And you don't know how much I appreciate it."

"So you're not mad at me?" he asked, relieved that she was not mad at him.

"No. Far from it in fact." she answered. "It's just going to take some more time, Kouga. Please…..bare with me."

"I'll wait as long as you need, Kagome." he said, hugging her again. "As long as you need." The girl smiled and nodded at him. She knew what he wanted from her now, and she was willing to give it a try. But she had some issues to sort out first. After she was done with that, then she and Kouga could work together and see what would happen.

Unfortunately, one of the main 'issues' she needed to take care of had been sitting in a tree, hidden by the thinning autumn leaves, since she and Kouga had arrived at the river. And needless to say, he was not happy with what had just transpired between his enemy…….and the woman who carried his child.

****

A/N - Okay. Now that THAT'S out of the way. Just so everyone knows, I wrote this chapter because someone e-mailed me and told me that Kouga needed to make some kind of move on Kagome. Well, personally, I thought it was too early in the story to do that, but the person was rather insistent -like 12 e-mails kind of insistent- so I wrote it.

Later.

A.A.


	26. Chapter 26

**__**

Disclaimer- It's not mine, never was.

A/N- I am sorry for taking so long to update, everyone. My finals are coming up in all of my classes. I'll try not to take so long next time. 

Going Home

When Kagome got back to the village, Miroku and Sango were already putting their things in the bags they were carrying. Kouga had walked with her to the village, but now he and Keiko were gone back to their den. He had smiled and gave her a kiss before running off with the older demoness, causing her to blush profusely in front of the demoness. Keiko had only bowed her head and said goodbye.

Kagome was glad that they had left. What had just happened between her and the wolf prince had been….intense….to say the least. Her heart started to beat faster at the thought of the youkai. When she realized what was going on in her head, she stopped herself.

__

'Don't go falling for another one, you dolt!!' she said. _'You're just going to hurt yourself again!' _ She looked over at Sango and sighed. He exterminator had the biggest smile on her face Kagome had ever seen. She was so happy with the man that she loved. _'You're loosing your mind, Kagome girl.'_ she thought. _'You're only going to wind up hurting again if you fall for Kouga.' _ She shook the thoughts from her head and walked up to her friends, taking in their happy demeanors. Sango looked happy as a lark and Miroku was grinning from ear to ear. Shippou, however, was still adamant on staying with Kagome.

"I don't wanna leave you, Kagome!" he whined. "I wanna stay with you! Why can't I stay?" Kagome smiled at the little kitsune and took him in her arms. Even after their years of traveling together, she still considered the kit her own son. He had grown some, but to her, he was still that scared little boy they had found that day so long ago.

"I've already told you why you can't stay with me, little one." she said, hugging him. "I'm going back to my era right after you leave. I've got to go see a doctor about my baby."

"When will you come back?" he asked. 

"I won't be gone long." she said. "A few weeks at the most. And when I come back, I'll come get you and you can stay with me." That seemed to cheer the kit up and he quickly climbed onto Sango's pack she had slung across her back.

"We must go now, Kagome." the other girl said. "We hope to get back to my village before long." Kagome nodded, giving the exterminator a hug and wishing her well. Miroku embraced her with the familiarity of a brother and wished her good luck at the doctor. The three friends set out towards the path that led out of Kaede's village. Kagome sighed and watched them until she could not see them anymore, then went inside to grab her oversized backpack and head home.

"I'm going home for a while, Kaede." she said to the old miko sitting on the floor of the hut and mixing some sort of medicinal herbs together to make a paste.

"Have a good journey back, child." the woman replied. "And come back to see us soon." Kagome smiled and gave the old woman a hug before turning to leave the hut.

Her walk up to the well was peaceful. No one stopped her on her way, but they all waved and smiled at the woman who had helped to save the village on more than one occasion. When she got to the well, she jumped in and was quickly surrounded by the soft lights that brought her between eras. Her heart soared when her feet hit the ground of her home era.

She was home. 

Climbing out of the well, she suddenly realized that her grandfather and brother would know about the pregnancy by now. Her mother had said that she would break the news to the two of them while she was back in the Feudal Era.

"Well, it's now or never." she said quietly as she opened the door to her house. "Mom! Grandpa! Souta! I'm home!" Two seconds later, she heard the unmistakable sound of her brother thundering down the staircase.

"Kagome! You're back!" he yelled, hugging her.

"Yes, I'm back, little brother." she said happily. "And you don't know how good it feels."

"Mom told me and Grandpa about you being pregnant." he said quickly, a smile on his face. "Does this mean I'm going to be an uncle?" Kagome grinned and nodded, happy that Souta didn't seem too worried about the pregnancy.

"Yes, Souta." she said. "It does."

"Yeah! I'm gonna be an uncle! I'm gonna be an uncle!" he sang as he pulled Kagome into the kitchen.

"Where's mom and Grandpa?" she asked, sitting at the table.

"Your grandfather had a meeting to go to for the temple counsel." came the voice of Rei Hirugashi. Kagome looked up at her mom and grinned.

"When will he be back?" she asked.

"Sometime tonight." she said. Meanwhile, Souta was still prancing around the kitchen singing _'I'm gonna be an uncle!' _ at the top of his lungs. Kagome watched her kid brother and laughed when he tripped on a chair leg and went crashing to the ground.

"How long has he been like this?" she asked, looking at her mom.

"He's been on cloud nine since I told him about the baby." she said with a smile. Her smile quickly faded though, and Kagome had a feeling she knew why.

"How'd Grandpa take it?" she asked quietly. By now, Souta had left the room to go play with his Playstation. Rei looked at her daughter and shook her head.

"He wasn't overly ecstatic." she said. "But he took it a lot better than I thought he would. He's worried about you, and what kind of part Inuyasha is going to play in raising the child. Just a for-warning though, when he gets back, you can expect to get a long lecture from him on how a lady is supposed to be proper."

"I expected as much." she said, her hand rubbing her stomach. "He does realize that I'm probably going to have to spend a large amount of time in the Feudal Era when I start showing, doesn't he?"

"Yes, and he's not happy about it. Neither am I to tell you the truth, Kagome."

"Mom, I can't let anyone see me like this, at least not until after the baby is born. If my child has dog ears and a tail, I'm going to have to come up with answers. Because I sure can't tell everyone the truth." Rei nodded in agreement, knowing her daughter was right.

"We still have some time to worry about that." she said. "How did Inuyasha take the news?" Kagome grimaced as she recounted the expedition of the past few days she had been in the Feudal Era, minus the part about Kouga and her at Miroku and Sango's wedding.

"So, as you can see, he was not the happiest camper in the world when I told him." she said. Kagome nodded, knowing that she had let her grandfather down in an immense way. He had always hoped the she would grow up and marry well before having any children. Although she knew he was mad and a little hurt by what she had done, she also knew that he would be in raptures by the time it sunk in that he was going to get to be a grandpa again.

"It's just going to take time, mom." she said with a shrug. "I'm not going to abort the baby, and I can't give it up for adoption since it's part demon, not that I ever would anyway." Rei smiled and hugged her only daughter.

"We're here for you, Kagome." she said. "If it is one thing you can always count on, it is this family."

"Thank you, momma." she said. "Thank you so much."

-Later that night…-

Just like Rei had said, the minute Grandpa had found out Kagome was home, he dragged her into his bedroom. She got the biggest lecture she had ever heard from her grandfather about how it was unhonorable to have a child before being married. He reamed her out for running around in the Feudal Era with a half demon. He chewed her out for anything and everything under the sun, but then he gathered her up in a big hug and told her everything was going to be alright and the baby would have a good life. Kagome told him about the situation between Inuyasha and herself and he got even madder.

"Let that despicable hanyou come around HERE again!" he threatened, "I'll send him to Hell for doing this to you and not having enough nerve to stand by you!" Kagome smiled at the exuberance her grandfather was showing. She knew he wasn't mad at her, and that he was glad she was okay. Her Grandpa's opinion meant much more to her that was wise. Since she had never really had a father figure in her life, her grandpa was kind of like a father and grandpa mixed into one. The only thing that worried her was when she would have to tell him that the child would probably have to be raised in the Feudal Era because of it's bloodline. _'Well, we'll have to wait and see about that one.'_ she thought. _'Maybe they won't have dog ears and I can raise them here, in my time.'_

**__**

A/N - It's short. Yes, I know. And I apologize. This is just a bridge chapter between the last one and the next one. Besides, I needed to show what her family's reaction was going to be. I'll have the next chapter up by the end of the week.

Later.

A.A.

Remember to review, even though it is a sucky chapter.


	27. Chapter 27

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Disclaimer - It's not mine, never was.

Kikyou was not a happy miko, and that was putting it lightly. Ever since Inuyasha had spoken with Kagome about the unexpected pregnancy, he had been broody and distant. No matter what she tried, she could not get his mind off of her reincarnate and the unborn child. He would get up at all times of the night and wander around the little hut they lived in. He called the girl's name in his sleep, and Kikyou had really had about enough of it. Her plan was working, though, and that was of some comfort.

It seemed that Kagome had taken comfort in the arms of the wolf demon Kouga after the meeting all those days ago. In fact, Inuyasha had gotten word that his old friends, the monk and the exterminator, were to be wed in Kaede's village, and gone to witness the occasion. When he had come back, he had been in the worst of moods ever, muttering under his breath about '_stupid, flea bitten wolves_' and '_Kagome going back through that damned well_'. Kikyou had said nothing though, comforting him as best as she could, meanwhile trying to hide the maniacal grin that threatened to erupt from inside her. She had been able to loosen her hold on his mind after that, knowing that he would not try to fight her as much now that he knew she would be leaving the Feudal Era and going back to her own time.

The wedding had been over two weeks ago, and still Inuyasha was sulking, which was fine with Kikyou. The angrier he got, the better. Pulling her basket of herbs from the side of the wall, Kikyou looked back over her shoulder and smiled at the white haired hanyou sitting on the floor by the fire.

"I'm leaving now, Inuyasha." she said sweetly. "There are some people on the other side of the village that I need to take care of. I'll be back in a few hours."

"Feh. Whatever." was her only response. Kikyou left the hut and tried to tamp down the smile that threatened to erupt from her.

__

'That's good. He's mad. Let him stew in his own anger for a little longer. It'll soon be time to start the next part of this plan. Then, I'll have my revenge on the miko and Inuyasha for what they've put me through.'

**** Back in Kagome's era…. ****

Kagome had went back to the doctor for a checkup, and everything pointed to the child being healthy. When she had gotten back home, though, she started having some questions of her own about the pregnancy itself.

Would the baby being part demon affect the gestation period?

Would there be any permanent changes to her body after the child was born?

What would the baby look like? Would it have puppy ears, or a tail, or claws? 

Would it be able to transform into a demon like Inuyasha did?

There were so many questions that she wanted answers to, but did not know who to speak with. Of course, Kaede would be the most logical person, but Kagome had a feeling the older woman did not know a lot about human/demon pregnancies. 

As she helped her mother with dinner, her thoughts strayed to the other demons she knew. 

Shippou was out of the question. She highly doubted that he would know much about it since he was still young. Inuyasha would be of no help, since he did not even really want to see her, much less answer her questions. And besides, Kagome did not feel like having to deal with Kikyou if she went to see him. Sesshomauro would have a field day with it if he ever found out what had happened, so Kagome knocked him off of the list. She did not want to trouble Kouga anymore, because it would just get him even angrier at the half demon. 

__

'But maybe Kuarasama and Keiko would know something about it. After all, Keiko was a demon, and part of the tribe's elders.' she thought hopefully. With that in mind, Kagome told her family that she was going back to the Feudal Era the next day to find out some information about the child and the pregnancy. It had been a little over two weeks since she had left, and she was actually starting to miss the place. Of course, her mother was understanding, but her grandfather was annoyed with her going back and forth.

"I can answer any questions you may have, Kagome." he said gruffly. "Why not just ask me."

"Because I want the right answers." Kagome said firmly. "Not something you make up." Her grandpa looked almost scandalized for a few moments, but Souta busted out laughing. It was a well known fact that Kagome's grandpa would invent and cook up stories about demons and the such for tourists to listen to. Kagome and Souta had grown up listening to the fabricated tales, and knew that most of them were just improvised stories their grandfather had made up.

So, the next day, after stuffing her oversized bag with lots of goodies for Shippou and the cubs in Kouga's pack, she jumped into the well and waited for the familiar feeling of being five hundred years in the past settle into her.

*** Meanwhile, in Kouga's Den…. ***

Kouga had just returned from patrols when he picked up the smell of an unknown male demon around the den. Coming up to the entrance as silently as possible, he sniffed the air and shuddered when he finally realized who it was.

His father.

__

'What does he want now?' Kouga thought as he entered into the cave. _'I don't feel like putting up with him right now.'_ Coming into the cave, he immediately found his father with the pack elders in the back. The man was similar to Kouga in build and facial features, but his hair was another matter. Instead of the raven black like Kouga's, his hair was a deep auburn color. Luckily, Kouga had received his mother's hair coloring and eye color, but everything else was almost a complete replica of the proud demon at the end of the cave.

Depositing the dead deer he had brought along with him as dinner for some of the pack, he walked to the back and greeted his father. 

"Father, what brings you here?" he asked respectfully, bowing to the older man. It was true that Kouga was the leader of this pack of wolves, but his father was the Lord of the Eastern Lands, and he was to be treated with respect.

"I need to speak with you, my son, concerning a very important matter." his father said gravely

"Of course, father." Kouga replied, motioning him towards his private chambers further back into the cave. When they entered and were settled comfortably in the numerous furs surrounding the room, Kouga broke the uneasy silence. 

"What brings you here, father?" he asked again. "Is something the matter?"

"I will come straight to the point, Kouga." he said firmly, watching his son for a reaction. "Word has reached me that you intend to take a human as a mate. Is that true?" Kouga steeled himself for this conversation, because he knew how it was going to end before it ever began. Like the other Lords of the land, his father was against anyone that was not a full blooded demon.

"Yes, she is human." Kouga answered. "But she is not like other humans. She's a miko."

"Is this the same one that traveled with Sesshomaru's younger bastard of a brother Inuyasha?" the older demon asked.

"Yes." Kouga said. The Wolf Lord frowned and shook his head.

"It has also come to my attention that the girl is pregnant with a child. I take it the child is yours?" he asked, surveying his oldest son. Kouga flinched and shook his head.

"No, it's not mine." he said. "It is the hanyou Inuyasha's."

"Yet you still intend to take this girl as a mate, even though she carries another's child? She's no more than a common whore if she is carrying another's child." he stated coldly.

"She was marked when the child was conceived." Kouga ground out, trying not to loose his patience. "The hanyou marked her as his mate, then betrayed her with another. She did nothing wrong, other than loving a fool."

"Love." the older demon snorted, waving his hand about as if to dismiss it. "A worthless emotion that causes trouble." Kouga said nothing in response, even though his temper was steadily rising. He knew he was going to encounter some problems with his father, but he did have a trump card his father did not think about.

"Kagome will be my mate." he said firmly. "I won't change my mind."

"I can forbid you to take the girl, Kouga." his father reminded him. "Don't forget your position. You are still my son, and heir to the Eastern Lands."

"Kagome helped to defeat Naraku and bring back the people and demons who he killed in his search for the Jewel." Kouga pressed. "It is because of her that this pack was brought back up to full strength." Kouga watched as this settled into his father's head. The expression on the old Lord seemed to soften a tad, and Kouga pulled out his trump card. "Kagome is the reason Laniko came back to life, back to the Eastern Courts, and eventually back to you, father." 

The Lord's surprised look was exactly what Kouga had been expecting. Mention of the demon woman had been what he had been betting on. Laniko had been a part of the Eastern Courts before she had been killed by Naraku in an ambush on one of the villages outside the Eastern Lord's manor. Kouga's father had taken a liking to the strong willed demoness in his Court, even though her blood was not pure demonic. It had been rumored that he would take her as his own mate, since Kouga's demon mother had died in childbirth. Unfortunately, like many of the other influential demons of the time, the Eastern Lord had been adamant about keeping any children he had as pure blooded demons. He had wanted to take Laniko as his partner, but her blood was tainted. Laniko was killed before anything else could be made into existence other than the rumors. When she was killed on the Kouga's father's doorsteps, the Eastern Lord had sworn revenge on the evil hanyou Naraku, but his grief over the dead demoness had been too great. He had gone into a depression, and only Kouga and a few of the others of his household knew why.

Laniko had actually been three-quarters demon and a quarter human. Her father was full blooded, but her mother had been a hanyou. And when Inuyasha's wish had brought back the innocents killed by Naraku, Laniko had been brought back as well. Kouga's father had never taken another mate after Kouga's mother had died, and when Laniko showed up at Court one day to reinstate her family's place among the demon families present, he had been ecstatic. Letting go of his beliefs about pure demonic blood being the only respectable lineage, he had made Laniko Lady of the Eastern Lands within the week.

"So you see, even though she is human, she is powerful and worthy to be in our family." Kouga said, pulling his father out of his memory induced daze. The old Lord looked at his son and nodded.

"Kouga, you are the eldest of my children." he said. "When I die, you will inherit the Eastern Lands. Having a human as a mate is not the best choice. She will be put into danger. Do you want that?" Kouga actually laughed at the thought of a demon being able to hurt Kagome.

"She's a miko, father." Kouga smirked. "If she was in too much danger, she'd purify any demon that tried to hurt her. Trust me, I've seen her fight."

"She has killed our kind before?" the older demon asked quickly, glaring at his son. 

"She has killed the demons that have threatened her." Kouga clarified. "She has never harmed a member of my pack. In fact, the entire pack seems to love her, especially the children."

Kouga's father seemed to be contemplating the news about the girl his son had decided to take as a mate. From what he had gathered from Kouga and the pack elders, the girl was highly respectable and quite pretty also. 

He looked over at Kouga one more time and shook his head. Arguing with the wolf prince would be like arguing with himself, Kouga was just that stubborn. And the Eastern Lord knew that Kouga would abdict the position as the heir to the Eastern Lands if he was prodded enough about the girl. Kouga was the eldest of the Eastern Lord's children, and one of the three sons he had. The rest of the children had been females. 

He knew that Kouga loved the miko, but his concern was for the rest of his family. When he had taken Laniko as a mate, his own family had already been established. He already had fathered numerous children, all of them pure blooded, so his family's grasp of the Eastern throne was insured after his passing. The lineage of the Eastern ruling family was solid, with nothing but strong, pure blooded wolf demons waiting to step in should he die. But, if Kouga, his eldest son and next in line to the Eastern throne, mated with a human, the children would be weaker half-bloods, and that was what worried him the most.

Rising from the seat, he looked down at his son and nodded.

"I must think about this arrangement." he said. "I do not want our family to fall apart because of the introduction of a human into it. I will be back in a few days with my answer for you." He turned to leave and Kouga stood up.

"You'll do it, father." he said quietly, as the older demon left. "Because what you felt for Laniko is the same I feel for Kagome, whether you want to admit it or not. I'll bring her to you and show you that she is every bit worthy of our family as Laniko was. Maybe then you'll finally give up these ridiculous ideas you have about pure blood being the only important lineage anymore."

**__**

A/N - Okay peeps. How'd I do? Any better than the last one? I sure hope so. Anyway, remember to leave me a review telling me what you think.

Later,

A.A. 


	28. Chapter 28

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Disclaimer - It's not mine. It never was, no matter what I tell myself.

A/N - Okay, I've finally got this story back to where it was. Thank you for everyone who stuck around for this. And a special thanks to the person who sent me a copy of the story they had downloaded before it was erased from ff.net. I didn't know if you wanted me to mention your name or not, so if you do, send it back to me.

Anyhow, I hope you guys like this chapter. Things are about to get a little more complicated, so hold onto your seats.

Later,

A.A.

More Problems Arise

Kagome put her bag down as soon as she entered into Kaede's hut. The aging miko greeted the younger girl with a warm smile and welcoming hug.

"Child, are you feeling well?" she asked kindly, picking up a bowl of half-crushed herbs from the nearest table. "What did the healer of your time find?" Kagome smiled and patted her stomach.

"So far, everything is good." she said happily. "The doctor said that the heartbeat is strong, and my baby is growing rapidly. "

"So the child is in good health at the moment?" Kaede asked. Kagome nodded and sat down. She took a close look at the older miko and frowned. Kaede was tense, and there was an underlying terseness in her voice.

"Kaede, is something the matter? You seem bothered about something." Kagome asked, watching the reaction of the older woman.

"Yes, child." she answered solemnly. She took a deep breath and placed the half crushed herbs on another table, then turned to face Kagome. "There is something that I found that might cause a slight problem for you later on into your pregnancy."

"What is it?" Kagome asked, suddenly on guard.

"As you know, the balance of blood in a child is formed from half of each parent." Kaede explained.

"Yes."

"As a miko, and especially as the carrier of the Shikon, you have always purified a demon when they threatened you with bodily harm. The child you carry has demon blood in it, even though it is such a small amount." Kaede said, Kagome seemed unfazed so far, but what she had to say next would probably throw the girl into shock.

"I don't understand." Kagome said, shrugging her shoulders.  
"It means that as the child develops, your body may actually see it as a threat, and try to reject the fetus because of the demon blood in its body." Kaede said.   
"I'll purify my own child?!!" she screeched. Kaede nodded, her face grim and lined with worry. Kagome jumped up from her seat on the floor and began pacing back and forth.

"It is just theory, child." she said simply, watching the nervous girl. "No one really knows for certain what will happen, as a situation like this is very rare." Kagome leaned back onto a chair and shook her head.

"Is there any way to find out? How will I know if my baby is in danger?" Kagome asked, getting increasingly worried. This had not crossed her mind before now. But now that Kaede mentioned it, it did make sense. A miko's job was to get rid of demons, and she was not exception to that rule.

"I do not know of a way to make sure, child." Kaede said solemnly. "But I do know of a woman who may hold some answers."

"Who?" Kagome asked, quickly looking towards the older miko. Kaede sat back and folded her hands into her lap, taking a deep breath and getting ready to recite what she had learned in the time Kagome had been in her own time.

"There is a woman far to the East that is rumored to be the child of a miko and a demon, a dragon demon to be exact. No one knows for certain where to find her, but I have a feeling she may be able to help you, should you be able to find her. She is very old, and has gathered much knowledge during her time in this world." 

"The Eastern lands is where Kouga's home is." Kagome said quietly. "Perhaps he may know." Kaede nodded in agreement, knowing that the wolf taiyoukai that ruled over the land kept a close watch on his own lands, and would know if the dragon-miko indeed resided in his lands.

"Are you planning on leaving for the wolf-demon's den this evening?" Kaede asked, looking at Kagome.

"Yes, I am. I want to get there as soon as possible." she answered truthfully. "I was originally going to spend a few days here in the village before setting out, but I need to find out as much as I can about whether my child will be affected by this or not." Kaede nodded, understanding the young woman's natural urge to want to protect her unborn child. 

"Someone should be here momentarily to get you." she said with a sigh, getting up from her seat. "So you need not worry about traveling to the den alone."

"What?" Kagome asked, not sure what she was talking about. Kaede smiled and shook her head.

" Lord Kouga has had someone camped out by the well ever since you left. They were left with strict orders to make sure you got safely to the village before they left to report to Kouga."

"So that's why I felt a demon presence following me here." Kagome muttered. She had felt the demon when she had climbed out of the well, but since it had not been centered on harming her, she had wrote it off as nothing to worry about.

"Yes, I expect Lord Kouga or one of his pack mates will be here momentarily to get you." Kaede said.

"I don't doubt it one bit." Kagome answered, rubbing her stomach gently. She picked up her bag ad went outside Kaede's hut to sit on the small porch. Her mind was in a whirl. There were too many things for her to think about before, but now with the complication of her possibly purifying her own child, everything just seemed compounded. _'This is crazy!'_ she thought angrily. _'I can't kill my own child! But how in Kami's name am I going to stop it?'_ She was starting to get upset at the possibility of her killing the innocent, unborn child. True, the pregnancy had been an unexpected surprise, but it was not an unwelcome one. _'I don't want to kill my child.'_ she thought, tears welling up in her eyes. She knew she could never live with herself if she accidentally purified the baby, and she knew that this was a serious matter that had reared it's ugly head. 

__

'If it isn't one bloody thing, it's another. First, Inuyasha betrays me with Kikyou. Then I find out that I'm pregnant, which is not as bad as I thought it was at one point. Then Inuyasha tells me he doesn't want anything to do with me or the child, and that he's staying with that witch Kikyou. And now, I find out that I might run the chance of purifying my baby! What else can possibly go wrong in my life?!" she thought, her head in her hands, and tears beginning to stream down her face.

Thankfully, it was not long before she sensed a strong demon presence coming her way at an alarming rate. She dried her tears as much as possible and decided to speak with Kouga about the woman. If anyone would know about the whereabouts of the dragon hanyou, Kouga or his family would.

Kouga sped up to his maximum speed when he picked up on Kagome's scent. As he sped over the roofs f the huts, he quickly spotted the girl sitting on the steps of Kaede's little hut. She must have sensed his arrival because she stood up and waited for him to descend. When he was finally down on the ground, and the dust settled from the mini-tornado he had created, he turned to look at Kagome, a grin on his face that quickly disappeared when he noticed that she had been crying.

"Hey, Kagome. Glad to see you're back. You had us all worried there for a while." he said happily. Kagome grinned at the warm welcome and gave the wolf prince a quick hug. "What's wrong?"

"I told you I'd be back, silly." she said, completely disregarding the last question he had asked her. Kouga noticed the obvious evasion and decided to ask her again in a little while. If she didn't want to talk about it, he surely could not force her to.

"So how long are you staying?" Kouga asked, sitting next to her on the steps.

"Straight to the point, aren't you?" Kagome asked, a small grin on her face.

"Hey, can't blame me for trying." he grinned. Kagome smiled and turned her gaze back down to the ground.

"Well, I'll probably be here for a few days, since it seems a small problem has arose." she sighed.

"Problem? What problem? Are you okay, Kagome?" Kouga asked, suddenly on high alert.

"I'm fine, Kouga." she sighed. "It's my baby I'm concerned about."

"What's wrong?" Kouga asked, seeing the tears start to well back up in her eyes. _'This must be what had her upset earlier when I got here.'_ he thought.

"It seems as though my body may try to reject the baby because of the demon blood in it." she said, biting her lip in frustration. "Kaede thinks I might wind up killing my baby before it is even born." Kouga looked at her and blinked owlishly, the consequences finally sinking in. 

"What?! Is there anything you can do to stop it?" he asked, grabbing her hand and forcing her to look up at him. It was bad enough that Kagome was pregnant with Inuyasha's kid, but if something happened to the baby, Kouga knew it would completely destroy the woman in front of him. 

"Kaede said that there is an old woman who lives to the far East in Japan who is rumored to be the only child of a miko and a demon. She said that if anyone would know what to do, she would." Kagome explained.

"An old woman, huh?" Kouga questioned, racking his brains out for anything that he might remember about such a rumor.

"Yes. Kouga, the Eastern lands are your home, do you know if this woman exists?" Kagome asked tearfully. Kouga looked at her and frowned. _'Damn you, dog-turd. She's on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and it's all your damned fault!'_ he thought angrily. _'You and your lies got her into this mess! Just wait until I see you again. You are not going to walk away alive for doing this to Kagome!'_

"I do not know of anyone like that, but I do know someone who will." he said soothingly.

"And that would be, who?"

"My father." he said simply.

"Your father?" she asked nervously. "Are you sure?"

"He knows nearly every human, demon, hanyou, and mix in between the three, that there are in his lands. If anyone would know, he would."

"You think he'll be able to help me?" Kagome asked, remembering what she had heard about the wolf taiyoukai not long after she had first met Kouga. 

"Yes. If anyone knows what's running around the Eastern lands, he will."

"Umm…. Kouga, are you sure he will be willing to help me? I mean, isn't he one of the demon lords who do not particularly care for humans?" Kagome had heard of lord Jiro before, the wolf taiyoukai that ruled over the Easter lands. He had been known as a ruthless demon who cared for no human, and saw them fit only for tilling the land. _'With an attitude like that, I really can't believe Kouga is his son.'_ she thought.

"Well, Kagome," Kouga said, scratching the back of his head, "My father is rather stuck in the old ways of thinking, but he's getting better. I'm almost positive he'll help us."

"And if he doesn't?" she asked skeptically. "Then what?"

"Then we employ the assistance of some of my younger siblings." he said. "And if that doesn't work, we get Laniko to help us. If anyone can get through to my father, she can."

"Is she your sister?" Kagome asked, trying to place the name. Kouga smiled and shook his head.

"Nope. She's my father's mate."

"Your mother?" she questioned. Kouga had never really mentioned any of his family members around her, so she had no idea who this 'Laniko' was.

"No, my mother died many years ago during the birth of my youngest sister. Laniko was a lady of the Eastern courts that my father had taken a liking to for some time after mother died." he explained quickly. "She was killed by Naraku during a siege of the village outside the castle, but the wish dog-turd made on the Shikon no Tama gave her life back. I guess dear old dad decided not to pass up another opportunity. He took Laniko as his mate a few days after she came back."

"But does she like humans?" Kagome asked.

"She ought to. Her mother was a hanyou." he shrugged.

"She's part human?!"

"Yep."

"But, your father…" Kagome started. 

"Like I said, he's not as bad as he used to be. Laniko's changed him a great deal since they mated."

"Well, that is a bit more reassuring." Kagome said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"I know."

"When can we go see him, assuming he'll let me ask him." she asked.

"Whenever you want to, but I'm guessing the sooner the better, correct?" he asked.

"Yes. But I wanted to speak with Keiko about a few things first." Kagome said, remembering her reason for coming back. "That's the main reason I came back. I have some questions about the pregnancy she might be able to answer." Kouga nodded, figuring Kagome would have wanted to speak with Keiko before too long.

"It'll be getting late soon." Kouga pointed out. "We can leave tomorrow for my homeland if you want. And you can speak with Keiko this evening."

"That's fine with me. I have a few things for the pups anyway. You don't mind taking me to see her, do you?" Kagome said. Kouga frowned and shook his head.

"Of course not." he said. "But, uh…it's not more chocolate for the pups, is it?" he asked warily.

"Some of it is, but not al of it." she answered truthfully. "Why do you ask? No one got sick from the last time did they?" Kouga shook his head.

"No, I just wanted to know if they were going to run a chance of being hyperactive in the next few days." Kagome grinned and picked up her bag. It was true that the sugar from the candy she usually gave the pups sent them on a sugar high for days after.

"I'll keep that candy to a minimum after this if it helps." she said with a grin.  
"Thank you, Kagome. I'm sure the rest of the pack will greatly appreciate it, as well as myself." he said. "Now, let's go. I'm afraid we have some rain coming, and I'd like to get to the cave before it starts."

"Let's go then." Kagome said, walking down the steps. Before she could get her feet on the solid ground, Kouga had swept her up and took to the air. Kagome steadied herself as much as she possibly could and glared up at the prince, who wore a delighted expression on his face and was completely oblivious to the cold glare Kagome was sending his way. She hated it when he would just pick her up and take to the air without a warning. _'I like the feeling of flying, but I hate it when they take off so fast and make my stomach nauseous.'_ she thought.

It was only moments later when they finally set down in front of the entrance to the main den, and it wasn't a moment to soon. Just like Kouga had predicted, it started raining not long after they arrived. It did not dampen their spirits, though. As usual, Kagome received a warm welcome from the majority of the pack, and an even warmer welcome from the children. After passing out the treats she had brought for the cubs, consisting of candy, a few different balls, and some of Souta's old toys, Kouga led her to a larger room, motioning for Keiko to follow them. The aged demoness nodded and followed the prince and miko, wondering what was going on. When the three were settled into the furs on the floor, Kouga got straight to the point.

"Keiko, we've got a problem." he stated.

"And what would that be?" she asked.

"Well Keiko, I needed to speak with you concerning some questions I have about my pregnancy." Kagome said, fidgeting in her seat.  
"I see no problem in that. Ask away." Keiko answered. "I'll answer as much as I possibly can."

"That's not the problem." Kouga growled out.

"Well what is it?" Keiko asked, picking up on the prince's annoyance. Something was wrong, and it had put Kouga on the edge. 

"Kouga…" Kagome said, placatingly, trying to calm him.

"Lady Kaede said that there may be a chance Kagome will purify her child before it is born because of the demon blood the child has. Do you know anything about this?" he asked. Keiko looked stunned to say the least. It had never occurred to her that Kagome's body would reject the child because of the demon blood. However, now that she thought about it, it did make sense. The natural in-born instinct of any miko was to purge a demon, and Kagome was not exception.

"I know not of anything that would help, Lady. Never before has a situation such as this arose." she answered, frowning slightly.

"Kaede also mentioned a rumor of a woman who was the daughter of a miko and a demon that lives somewhere in the East. Do you know anything of that?" Kagome asked, hoping that Keiko would know of the woman.

"I have heard the rumor. It is said that this woman lives alone within the thickest part of the forest along the coastline. She is said to have great wisdom, and many have sought her out, wanting answers to seemingly impossible questions. I, of course, have never validated her existence, although I have heard stories of those who could." Keiko explained, trying to recall the rumors she had heard during her time in the pack.

"The stories of Cali are true." came a female's voice from the entrance of the room. The three occupants of the room swiveled around to see a demoness push aside the curtain. Kagome heard the sharp in take of breath from Keiko and a growl of annoyance from Kouga. The demoness smiled and nodded her head, acknowledging the two. 

She wore the traditional furs of the wolf pack, but what stood out the most was her hair. The long brown strands were pulled back in a high pony tail and plaited into hundreds of little braids. Her blue eyes were friendly, but Kagome noticed that they were a darker shade than Kouga's. Kagome had never seen this woman before, and quickly wondered who it was. The demon woman was quite pretty, and it seemed as though Kouga and Keiko know something about her that Kagome did not.

"Lady, what brings you here?" Kouga asked, rising form his seat.

"Hello, Kouga. It's nice to see you as well." she chuckled. "You as well, Keiko. I trust you've been keeping this rambunctious, whelp of a pup in line for me?" she asked the medicine woman. Keiko smiled and nodded towards the younger demoness.

"I try, my lady." Keiko chuckled. "It's not always easy. He's headstrong and stubborn, much like his father."

"I understand. Like father, like son, is what' I've always heard." the demoness laughed. 

"I'm still here, you two." Kouga grumbled good naturedly. Kagome stifled a laugh, but the noise was enough to draw the demoness' attention.

"And who is this lovely lady?" she asked. "Kouga, where are your manners? You must tell me who she is." Kagome blushed and rose from her seat, bowing to the demoness.

"My name is Kagome." she answered quietly. "I'm a friend of Kouga's." Kagome noticed a flicker of recognition flash across the demoness' face before humor set in.

"Ah, yes, the young Kagome. I've heard many stories about you from Kouga and the pack. A friend you are, indeed." she answered, giving Kagome a friendly smile. Kagome blushed and stepped back.

"What brings you here, lady?" Keiko asked.

"I have a message for Kouga, from his father." she answered simply.

"What is it now?" Kouga growled, clearly annoyed.

"He needs to speak with you immediately, concerning some of the packs north of here. It seems some trouble has been brewing as of late." the demoness explained.

"When does he wish to see me?" Kouga asked.

"Tomorrow, or the day after at the latest." she said. 

"Short notice, eh?" Kouga grumbled.

"Yes, well, you know how your father can be."

"Don't I ever." the wolf prince mumbled. The demoness shook her head and motioned for them to take a seat once again.

"Anyway, you were speaking of Cali when I came in and interrupted, the mystery hanyou of the Eastern forest. Is someone going to seek her out?" The demoness questioned. Kagome nodded, drawing attention to herself once again..

"I am." she answered. "I am in dire need of some answers, and I was told she might be able to help. Do you know where I can find her?"

"I don't but I know someone who does." she answered. "What knowledge to you seek to gain."

"Well, it's rather complicated…" Kagome began.

"Is it concerning your child?" the demoness asked.

"You know?" Kagome blanched, her hand going to her stomach.

"Doesn't everybody?" she asked with a grin. "With the way Kouga was telling everyone, you'd think he was the father!"

"Kouga!" Kagome admonished. "Who else did you tell?"

"Sorry, Kagome." the prince said, thoroughly chastised and not happy with the fact Kagome seemed upset with him. Keiko and the other demoness chuckled at the sight of the proud wolf being chastised by the little woman.

"Anyhow, what did you want to know." the other woman asked. "Maybe I could save you a trip."

"Well, since it seems you know the circumstances surrounding the pregnancy, I'm sure you know that I am a miko." Kagome said. The woman nodded and motioned for her to continue on with her story.

"Yes, and the carrier of the Shikon jewel, correct?"

"Yes, and that's the problem. I was told that it was a possibility that I might purify the child before it is born. I had heard that there was a woman in the Eastern lands that could tell me if it is a possibility I could hurt my baby." The demoness nodded, understanding the dilemma, and empathizing with the girl. She also noticed that Kouga had wrapped his arms around Kagome from behind, and was rubbing her stomach gently. _'Well Kagome, it seems as though someone has finally tamed Kouga's wild heart. I congratulate you, little miko.'_ she thought.

"Well Kagome, you are definitely in quite a predicament, aren't you." she said.

"Yes, I am." Kagome said miserably. Kouga, noticing her frustration, held her tighter.

"Calm down, love." he soothed. "We'll find her."

"Lady, who is it that knows the where abouts of Cali's location?" Keiko asked the other demoness.

"Kouga's father." she answered simply. The demoness heard a disgruntled grumble come form the miko that sounded eerily similar to _'not another taiyoukai with a superiority complex over humans. That's all I need, another Sesshomauro on my hands.' _ Keiko chuckled and shook her head while Kouga just grinned.

"Don't worry about it, love." Kouga said. "He's not going to eat you, I promise."

"I'll make sure he behaves himself, Kagome. You needen't worry." the demoness said. "I'll bring Keiko with me if things get too rough." Kouga grinned and shook his head, liking that idea immensely.

"Father won't stand a chance with the two of you." Kouga grinned. The demoness noticed that the human girl seemed to relax, so she decided to take her leave. She had delivered the message as asked, and now she was ready to get back home.

"Well, I'm on my way out." she said. "I trust you will meet with your father tomorrow?" she asked. Kouga nodded.

"Tell him we will arrive around noon, please. I take it we will meet in the normal place." The demoness nodded and began to walk out the entryway when Kagome stopped her.

"Excuse me, but…who are you?" she asked. "I've never seen you here before, but you know who I am." The demoness smiled and looked over her shoulder at the miko.

"You mean Kouga hasn't told you yet?" she asked. Kagome shook her head. "I'm not surprised. He does tend to forget things."

"Not funny." Kouga mumbled. The demoness turned around and nodded at Kagome.

"My name is Laniko." she said.

"You're Lady of the Easter lands?" Kagome gasped. "Lord Jiro's mate.?"

"Yes, that stubborn wolf is my mate." she smiled.

"But you're part human." Kagome said, before she could stop herself. She immediately blushed and was about to apologize when Laniko's smile stopped her.

"People change, Kagome." she said with a smile. "Remember that."

"But…but…"

"Make sure you speak with Jiro soon, Kagome." she said. "He will be able to help you." The demoness bowed and left the room.

"Thank you, Lady Laniko." Kagome whispered. "Thank you, so much." As the skin swung back into place, covering up the entrance once again, Kouga picked up a small sigh from the departing wolf demoness.

"It is I who should be thanking you, little miko. I owe my life and happiness to you." she had said. Kouga grinned and let a sigh escape his lips.

"Well, that was unexpected, to say the least." Keiko said, breaking the easy silence that had settled in the room. "Did you know she was coming, Kouga?" 

"Nope, although I'm glad she did." he said with a smile.

"What do you think your father wants with you?" Kagome asked.

"I don't know. But we'll find out tomorrow." he answered.

"We?" Kagome asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. 

"Yeah. You're coming with me." Kouga said simply.

"What?"  
"You heard me."

"But…but…" Kagome stuttered. She really did not want to have to face another taiyoukai with a superiority complex, and even though Kouga had reassured her that Jiro was not as bad as he seemed, Kagome was still skeptical.

"You will be fine, Lady Kagome." Keiko said. "Lord Jiro's bark is worse than his bite." Kagome grimaced and Kouga grinned. "Now, if you will excuse me, Lord Kouga, Lady Kagome."

"Whatever, Keiko." Kouga said, dismissing the demoness.

"Oh, Lady, I'm afraid that the children are waiting for you outside the den." Keiko said before she completely disappeared.

"Tell them I'll be out in a minute, please Keiko." Kagome said. "I need a minute for this to sink in before I go with the children."

"Of course, Lady." Keiko said, leaving the two alone. Kouga could tell Kagome was still quite upset.

"Everything will be fine, love." he said, hugging her gently. "Don't worry about it."

"I hope you're right, Kouga." she said, taking comfort in the wolf demon. "I hope you're right." 

__

A/N - Okay, Hehehe Hehehe, there's another twist in the plot. Hope you guys are enjoying this. Anyway, remember to leave me a review and tell me what you guys think about this.

Oh, and I know there are a lot of other character in this story, but I couldn't really help it. The only two members of Kouga's pack that are ever named are Ginta and Hakkaku (I think), so I had to make up some people. Sorry if it bugs you, but they won't play much of a major role for too long.

Later,

A.A.


	29. Chapter 29

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Disclaimer - It's not mine. Never was.

A/N - Ookie dookie, here is the next chapter for your reading pleasure. I hope you guys enjoy. 

A special thanks to everyone who has reviewed my story. I love all of ya'll. 

Later,

A.A.

**__**

All in the Family

The next day as Kagome and Kouga took off towards the Eastern lands to speak with Lord Jiro, Kagome wondered what kind of reception she would get from the demon lord. She had faced raging, blood thirty youkai before, but for some odd reason, the impending meeting between herself and the taiyoukai had her in quite a disarray. After Laniko had left the day before, Kagome had killed some time helping Keiko and playing with the pups. Kouga had put some of her fears to rest about his father after coming back from his evening patrols, but Kagome still had her doubts. _'The guy can't be worse than Sesshomauro. He tried to kill me the first time we met. It doesn't get much worse than that.'_ she thought. _'Of course, I could be doing all of this for nothing at all. After all, Kaede said it was only a possible theory that I could purify the child. There is no proof that is has ever happened before. So I could just be running around for no reason at all. But, at least this way, I'll know for a fact.' _ She shifted around in Kouga's arms and tried to get comfortable. She had a feeling it was going to be a very exhausting day.

Kouga, meanwhile, was having some thoughts of his own as they flew through the air. _'Father will be able to tell us what we need to know. I just know he will. We will be able to find a way to save Kagome's child. If something happens to that child, I don't want to know what will happen to her.'_ he thought._ 'I've seen what happens when she-wolves loose pups in birth; the mother usually follow the pup into death. I won't let that happen to Kagome! Not now that she's recovering from Inu-baka's betrayal.' _ He tightened his hold on Kagome and put on an extra burst of speed. He finally had her by his side, and he was not about to let something like the possible death of her child get in the way. He would find a way to keep the child alive, no matter what he had to do.

As they crossed the invisible borderland into the East form the interior of the country, Kagome gasped a the beautiful expanse of land and sea. It was breathtaking, there were no other words for it. The forest was dark and lush, proving that the land was fertile and well cared for. The vast expanse of sea had boats dotted along its surface. All in all, it was definitely something that took Kagome's breath away.

Kouga began to slow down and descend into a more mountainous ridge right along the coastline. Kagome looked below, over the ledge they had landed on and was surprised to see a small fishing village. The boats were drifting in the water, idly content until their owners came back. Glancing to her right, she saw a small inlet, where it seemed people kept popping in and out of the water. _'Pearl divers._' she thought _'The girls who harvest the precious stones from the oyster shells.'_ She looked over at Kouga, who seemed to be assessing the village below them.

"Why did we stop here, Kouga?" she asked, wondering why they had stopped in such a remote place.

"Anytime father wants to speak with me concerning matters of the land, we meet here." he answered with a shrug. "It's far enough away from the castle so that no one is around to bother us, seeing as how these discussions can sometimes take hours depending on the problem at hand."

"How long before he gets here?" Kagome asked, feeling a little nervous.

"He will be here soon. I have a feeling Laniko is telling him about why you are going to be with me today." Kouga said with a smile.

"I see. Will Laniko be with him?" she asked hopefully.

"She should. I'm not sure though." Kagome nodded and turned her attention back to the village. 

It was not long after that when Kouga glanced northward and motioned for Kagome to stand beside him. Brushing off the borrowed clothes Keiko lent her to wear the evening before, she steadied herself to face the impending parent. A strong gale wind blew up out of nowhere, and Kagome bent her head and covered her eyes to stop the sand and rocks from hitting her. As quickly as the winds came, they were gone, and in their wake were three demons. One, Kagome immediately recognized as Kouga's stepmother Laniko. 

The other two males were a bit of an enigma. One, the center male, had a mass of thick auburn colored hair pulled up into a pointy tail, much like Kouga's. His piercing green eyes flickered when his gaze swept over Kagome, something akin to humor making his eyes dance. The other male however, a demon with chin length black hair and green eyes, grinned happily and broke the awkward silence.

"Kouga, you've been hunting again, I see." he grinned, smiling over at Kagome. "Good going, big brother. Laniko's been telling us all about her, and let me tell you, rumors do your catch no justice." Kouga growled at the demon and stepped closer to Kagome, placing his hand on her back.

"I see you are well, little brother." Kouga said casually, sending him an _'if you want to stay in one piece, you better shut up'_ glare. "Father. Lady Laniko." he said as acknowledgement. Laniko smiled and went over to Kagome's side.

"We'll just leave you three alone to talk." she said with a grin. Kagome looked a little shocked and was about to protest when Kouga smiled and nodded at her. "We'll be back later." Kouga watched as Laniko led Kagome away from him and down the slope leading into the village. When they were sufficiently out of hearing range, Jiro turned back to his son and nodded.

"Raidon was correct, my son. The rumors do the young woman no justice." he said blandly.

"You wanted to speak with me?" Kouga asked, basically ignoring the comment about Kagome. 

"Yes. There have been some problems with the tribes north of you." his father said tersely.

"Over what?" Kouga asked. 

"Territorial rights." Raidon said with a frown. "Some of the food supplies are starting to thin out, and the tribes are competing with each other, as well as the local villagers for the land and its resources."

"There's something else, isn't there?" Kouga asked, peering at the two demons. His father nodded and rubbed his temples, trying to ward off a headache.

"Some of Lumosiko's pack has been attacking nearby villages, carrying the cattle and sheep off. Two wolves have been killed in the last month alone by the villagers." Jiro explained.

"This is causing problems between villagers and demons alike. We need to stop the before any more wolves or humans are injured or killed." Raidon said.

"What is causing the food shortage? The area you speak of is a vast expanse of forest bordering the Northern lands. We've never had problems with food stuffs there before." Kouga asked.

"The land is dying. Already half of the forest is withered down to nothing. Many of the streams have stopped running, only to become stagnant pools of water." Jiro explained.

"How long ago did this start?" Kouga asked, frowning at the report.

"Just recently. Maybe a month or so ago. It happened in such a short amount of time, and we cannot pinpoint the origin of the problem." Jiro said.

"What do you suggest we do, father?" Raidon asked.

"We have very few options. One, we pull the packs off of the lands and divide them up into our other safely established packs. Two, we leave them there and send supplies at regular intervals to keep everyone alive. Or three, we figure out what's going on, and get rid of whatever is causing the land to die out." Jiro explained.

"We must do something quickly, though." Raidon said. "The villagers are blaming the packs, and our packs are blaming the villagers. We have never had this much civil unrest in centuries. We need to stop it before it gets any more serious." Kouga frowned and looked down the cliff at the villagers going about their work.

There had been no civil unrest in his homelands since before he was born. Long ago, his grandfather had made an agreement with the humans of the East. The wolf packs would stay to themselves, as would the humans, each one continuing as though the other did not exist. It had worked surprisingly well, and over time what had started as an uneasy truce had led to an understanding friendship, and then a mutual respect for both groups. A few minor posts had later been set up along the coast, and both human and demon alike would trade for goods. The wolves brought wild game, pelts, furs, as well as spears, and woven mats to the coast in return for such things as cloth, salt, fish, oysters, silk, and pearls.

The trade was just starting to get an even better footing, with both sides benefiting in the long run. But something as bad as civil unrest could cause all of it to crumble, in no time at all. _'Why now?'_ Kouga thought angrily, _'Why now, when it seemed like everything else is going so good….'_

**Meanwhile, with Laniko and Kagome…**

The demoness and miko walked down the path toward the village, chatting about whatever came to mind. Finally though, Kagome brought up her reason for being there. 

"Lady Laniko, did you find out if Lord Jiro knows where the old woman lives?" she asked.

"Surprisingly, yes." the demoness answered. "After I returned yesterday and spoke with Jiro, he told me he know where to find her."

"Where is she?"

"She lives closer towards the borderlands between the East and North lands. Her home is protected by a barrier that only a select few can get through. So even if someone did know where she lived, they still may not be able to get in to speak with her. In fact, it is near the very place that is causing Jiro so much worry."

"Worry?" Kagome asked. "Is something wrong?"  
"The lands up there are dying." Laniko answered truthfully. "The packs are becoming restless as food sources die out."  
"They're starving?!" Kagome gasped out.

"Not yet. But another month or so, and they could be." Laniko said as they stopped by the small inlet Kagome had been watching earlier. The pearl harvesters were still going, and it seemed as though Laniko was known well in the village, seeing as many of the girls would wave or call out to her as they went about their business. At Kagome's curious expression, Laniko smiled and shrugged. "This is my mother's home village. She was a hanyou, and this was her home before she met my father. After that, she moved with him, but still brought me back here from time to time. She always told me that I should never forget where I came from, no matter how much status or wealth I achieved in life. Because of that, I know many of the villagers quite well." 

They continued on until they reached the outskirts of the village. It had been almost three hours since the had left the men, and Kagome was anxious to find out if she was going to get to see Cali. After a while, the conversation once again turned to the dragon hanyou.

"Do you think Cali could tell Lord Jiro and Kouga what is going on in the lands?" Kagome asked.

"Possibly. We will find out tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"We are going to be going to her home tomorrow." Laniko explained, picking a sakura blossom off of a nearby tree. "You, to find out if your baby is at risk for being purified, and Jiro and I to find out if she knows what's wrong up there."

"Will Kouga come also?" Kagome asked hopefully. She really did not want to be with the Eastern taiyoukai without Kouga there. Laniko grinned and nodded to her.

"More than likely. He and Raidon are the oldest two sons, and they will need to be with their father."

"Is Raidon the other demon that arrived with you?" Kagome asked.

"Yes, he is." Laniko chuckled. "He's two years Kouga's junior, and just as mischievous as his older brother, if not more."

"Kouga? Mischievous?" Kagome asked, her face a mask of disbelief.

"Yes. He's quite a character. Why do you seem so surprised?" the demoness asked. Kagome shook her head and smiled again.

"Mischievous isn't a word I would describe Kouga as." Kagome said. "Stubborn, tenacious, caring, obnoxious at times, but not mischievous."

"Give it time, Kagome, and you will see." Laniko grinned. She turned back towards the village and Kagome followed. They were headed back to the cliff where Jiro, Kouga, and Raidon were. "If you can believe it or not, those two actually get it from Jiro."

"He has a sense of humor?" Kagome blurted out before she could stop herself. She immediately blushed and covered her mouth with her hand. "Ooops, shouldn't have said that. Sorry."

"It's okay. He just keeps it hid rather well." Laniko said. "The strain about the northern packs have him in a bit of a spot, as well as Kouga's refusal to take a mate."

"What's so bad about Kouga not taking a mate, yet?"

"Jiro is annoyed because Kouga is waiting on you, Kagome. It's just irking him that Kouga isn't paired off yet and settled down with some pups of his own."

"I'm not going to just run to Kouga, and cry my eyes out since Inuyasha screwed me over." Kagome snapped. "Kouga's a close friend, and a form of stability for me right now. Why does everyone automatically assume that I can't stand on my own two feet and take care of myself? I don't need a man to live my life to the fullest."

"Calm yourself, Kagome. I know that. I know a semblance of what you're feeling because I'm part human. But, demons like Jiro only know how to take things they want, no matter what." Laniko said placatingly. "When a demon male sets his sights on a female, he'll do anything for her, even f it means waiting a ridiculous amount of time. Trust me, I know."

"But Kouga doesn't seem like he's too worried about that." Kagome pointed out. "I mean, he's all but physically claimed me as his mate, but he's never pressured me into anything, only offered assistance since the whole Inuyasha ordeal."

"And he won't pressure you, Kagome. No matter what his father or anyone else says or does. Kouga does care for you deeply. In fact, when he came back from his visit to your village, right after finding out Inuyasha had marked you, Jiro told me he was depressed for a week. He was snapping at anyone and staying out in the forest for the majority of the time. It finally took Raidon making him mad enough to almost beat the living soul out of him to make him snap back to reality."

"I didn't realize…" Kagome trailed off. Her respect and affection for the wolf was growing by leaps and bounds. Ever since Inuyasha's betrayal, Kouga had tried picking up what was left of her broken heart, and piecing it back together. She knew that the wolf demon cared deeply about her, even possibly loved her. All the little things he done for her made her feel good about herself again, and it was starting to make her own feelings for the wolf turn into something other than friendship. 

"I think it was then that Jiro realized Kouga had made his choice for a mate." Laniko continued on. "And it was then that Jiro started to question who you were and what you had done. After finding out that you were the miko that had purified the Shikon jewel, his respect in Kouga's decision had jumped considerably. Whether he realized it then or not, he actually began to accept the thought of having you in the family, especially since it is common knowledge that Kouga wants you as his mate."

Kagome smiled and shook her head. Her affection for the wolf prince was growing with leaps and bounds the more she heard about him. She was about to say something else when her stomach gave a lurch, forcing her to stop for a moment and lean against a tree. 

"Are you okay, Kagome?" Laniko asked worriedly.

"Yes, just an upset stomach. I should be fine in a minute. After a few more moments Kagome pushed herself from the tree and nodded. Keiko had explained to her the day before that the gestation period for a child with demon blood was actually shorter than the time a normal human mother carried a child. As such, Kagome would be experiencing the symptoms of pregnancy much quicker since the child had demon blood in it. That meant that the feelings of nausea and dizziness would start soon, as well as the dreaded morning sickness. _'I didn't realize she meant this soon.'_ Kagome thought as she clutched her stomach as it twisted and turned. It took a few minutes, but the feeling of nausea passed and she was ready to continue on 

After another fifteen minutes, the women trekked up the side of the cliff and found the three demons concluding their meeting. Laniko and Kagome held back for a few more minutes, allowing them to finish off their discussion before walking over to them.

"Are we finished here, my Lord?" Laniko questioned her mate.

"Yes. We are done here." he said, not looking at the demoness. Laniko nodded and stepped up to his side, giving him a small smile before nodding to where Kagome was standing by Kouga. "Kouga, you, Raidon and Lady Kagome are to meet us here early tomorrow morning. From there we will head north. Hopefully, we will arrive at the northern boundary before noon. Is that understood?"

"Yes, father."

"We'll be here, father."

"Very good. Now if the rest of you would excuse us, I'd like to speak with Lady Kagome for a moment before we leave." he said, looking at the miko by his oldest son's side. 

Kagome tensed immediately, but took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. Laniko had put her mind slightly at ease earlier today about the wolf taiyoukai, but she was still somewhat uneasy. She glanced up at Laniko, who gave has a smile and stepped back, signaling for the two sons to follow her.

"Let's go, you two. This doesn't concern us." she said. Kouga stepped away, but not before gripping Kagome's shoulder reassuringly. Raidon grinned and walked back to where Laniko was standing.

"Don't eat her alive, father. You've been known to do that to a human or two before, after all." Kagome glared at the younger brother and Kouga growled, grabbing his brother's armor and pulling him towards Laniko.

"Shut the hell up, Raidon!" he barked.

"Aww, come on Kouga. I was just kidding." the younger demon protested.

"Raidon?" came Laniko's voice.

"Yes?"

"Shut up and come on." she said sternly. Raidon frowned and shrugged while Kouga grinned impishly.

"Now I remember why I like her so much." Kouga mused as they walked of. Kagome turned to the stoic lord who had watched his bickering sons leave. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for the conversation to come.

"You wanted to speak with me, Lord Jiro?" she asked respectfully. The auburn haired demon turned to the girl and nodded. 

"Kouga has explained why you seek out Cali's help, but I want to know what your plans are for the future of the child, should you be able to bare it."

"I will raise the child." she answered matter of factly, as though there was no other option to speak of.

"Where will you raise the child?" he asked. "Kouga told me that you come from a place far away. Do you plan on staying around after getting your information?"

"I must return home for a short time, but I will be returning." she answered flatly. _'Why does he want to know all of this?'_ she thought. _'It's none of his business what I do or don't do.'_

"And what of the hanyou Inuyasha? What is his part in this, other than being the father of the child?" the Eastern lord queried. Kagome's temper began to rise with the mention of Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha is no longer my concern." she said pointedly, looking the demon straight in the eye. "He betrayed me, and even if he did come back, I wouldn't have him."

"He forfeited his rights to the child to you?" Lord Jiro questioned.

"Yes."  
"Were their any requests on his part?" he asked.

"Only that he was given the chance to see the child once after its birth." Kagome answered evenly. _'What the hell is his problem?'_ she thought as she bit the inside of her mouth to calm herself. 

"And you intend on granting this request?"

"Yes." Kagome answered.

"You're giving into him." Jiro prodded. "What is the difference if you give into him now than giving into him later. If you do it once, he'll expect you to do it again."

"That does not necessarily mean I would give into him again, just because I allow him to see our child one time. I see no problem in that." Kagome said, here eyes flashing dangerously. _'This guy does not even know me, and he's passing judgment on me. Who the heck does he think he is?'_ she thought 

"It also does not mean you will not give into him at some later point in time. If he asked you to give him the child to raise, would you do it?" Jiro asked, circling the girl and watching her reaction to his question.

"No." she answered flatly.

"Why not? He is the father of the child after all." the Eastern Lord prodded.

"No one will take my child from me!" she said flatly.

"You'll be raising the child without a father. Are you strong enough for that?" he asked scathingly, trying to get a rise out of the human. He could feel her anger mounting, but he did not think to stop his questioning.

"I was raised without a father." Kagome ground out. "It is possible to do, despite what you may think to the contrary." The Eastern Lord stopped his circling and stood in front of her, glaring. 

"You presume to know how I think?" Jiro growled out.

"I presume to know nothing about you." Kagome said fiercely. "What I do know is I'd rather protect my child from an unfaithful father who only causes heartache. Inuyasha will not cause our child the same heart ache he caused me!"

Lord Jiro grinned and nodded. The girl was certainly spirited, much like Kouga had described. The earlier nervousness scent he had detected had disappeared completely, and now her body exuded nothing but anger.

Down the trail that his own family had left by, he heard Kouga angrily ask why Kagome's anger scent had spiked so suddenly. He could hear Laniko telling him to calm down, and Raidon chuckling and mumbling something about _'Kouga's turned into father, how wonderful.'_ He picked up Laniko's growl and heard Raidon's exclamation when he was hit by his older brother. As amusing as he found the exchange between his mate and sons, there was the slightly more pressing matter of the miko he had just angered enough to feel the powerful purifying tendrils of the Shikon snake out around her body. The air around the miko and taiyoukai crackled with power as Kagome' temper rose. Jiro tried to step away, but found he could not move. Jiro blinked and tried to move again, but found he was stuck to the ground. _'I think I pushed the young lady too far.'_ he thought grimly.

By now, Kouga, Raidon, and Laniko had ran back up the path. They had sensed Kagome's anger, as well as the building power of the Shikon jewel, and decided to see what was going on. Needless to say, they had not expected to see the Eastern Lord solid as a stone and Kagome's hands glowing faintly pink.

"Kagome…father…." Kouga said, going towards the two, intent on breaking up whatever was going on. Laniko stopped him immediately.

"Leave him, Kouga. He's doing this for a reason."

"He's going to get himself purified!" Kouga said.

"He's testing her, Kouga." she explained.

"For what?"

"He's testing her strength and hold of the Shikon's power." Raidon explained. "It's his way of finding if she is truly worthy of being in our family." Kouga growled and stepped back, knowing there would be hell to pay if he interfered.

Jiro growled and his eyes began to bleed red when he realized that the miko in front of him was threatening to kill him.

"You dare to threaten me, miko?" he growled out.

"You dare threaten a woman….a miko…..a mother?" she asked venomously. "One wave of my hand, and you'd be dead, purified before your next heartbeat."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Oh, I wouldn't?" she said, swirling the purifying power of the jewel around the taiyoukai. Jiro flinched as some of the translucent light touched his skin, causing it to burn slightly.

"I came to you to find out how to save my child." Kagome stated simply. "Tell me how I can find Cali, and I'll leave you alone. You'll never have to see me again."

"You would kill me? The Lord of the Eastern lands?" he questioned.

"Is that a rhetorical question?" she said. Jiro smiled and nodded.

"You have guts and spirit, little miko." he said. "Especially to want to protect something that is only half yours."

"You're pushing your luck, my Lord." she drawled sarcastically. "Are you going to help me, or not?" Jiro actually laughed, and nodded.

"Let me go, Lady Kagome, and I will explain my actions." Kagome cut her eyes at the demon but did not release her hold on him. He tried to move, but still found himself stuck to the ground. He growled and glared at the young woman. "Why won't you let me go?"

"Just because someone asks me to do something, does not mean I always give into them." she said pointedly. Jiro flinched when his own words were thrown back at him. What worried him now was Kagome's attitude. Kouga had told him she was usually a kind girl who would not hurt anyone without just cause. _'Well, if she'd have just called me a weakling who could not care for my own child, I would be a little angry also.'_ he mused.

"You've proven your point, Lady." he said. "And proven me wrong at the same time. Forgive my presumptuousness." Kagome was seemingly placated by the apology, and all the demons present breathed a sigh of relief when she retracted the power of the jewel back into her body. Jiro took another step back from the girl as Kouga went up to her and placed his arms around her waist.

"Well, that went well, don't you think?" Raidon grinned.

"Father," Kouga said. "What is the meaning of this?"

"She passed the test, my son." Jiro explained.

"Test?" Kagome asked, getting angry again. "What test?"

"He had to make sure of your intentions for questioning Cali." Laniko explained.

"It was a stupid test?" she asked angrily. "I could have killed you."

"But you didn't." Jiro said. "Which proves one of my personal theories correct."

"Which one, father?" Raidon asked.

"Only the carrier of the Shikon could wield a power like that." he said with a grin. "And temper such raw power with a need to preserve life." Kagome listened intently and felt Kouga's arm tighten around her. "You are truly a wonder, Lady. And should my son ever be blessed with a gift from Kami, you and your child would be welcomed into our family with open arms."

Kagome gaped at the man in disbelief. Beside her, Kouga had a hard time reigning in his prideful, happy grin at his father's words. Laniko smiled and took her mate's arm.

"I think it is time we left, my Lord." she said quietly. Jiro nodded and turned his attention to his sons.

"Until tomorrow then, Kouga, Raidon, Lady Kagome." He said, and with a smirk, oddly reminiscent of Kouga's, Laniko and Jiro took off. When the wind had died down, Kagome shook her head and looked at the demon brothers.

"Well, now what?" she asked.

"We wait until tomorrow, then meet father and Laniko here." Raidon said with a shrug."

"That's it?" Kouga nodded and looked at Kagome.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah." she answered.

"You going back to your den, big brother?" he asked.

"Yes. Why?"

"Just thought you'd like to know where I was taking my woman." he said with a grin. 

"What?" Kouga asked, frowning at the man. Raidon grinned and before Kagome could blink, she was airborne with the younger of the two demon brothers.

"Catch me if you can, big brother!" Raidon called out.

"Put me down!" Kagome yelled above the din of the rushing wind. Raidon dived quickly, forcing her to hold onto him as though her life depended on it.

"Calm down, Lady Kagome." Raidon said with a grin when Kagome glared at him. "I haven't been able to tease Kouga this much since we were pups. Besides, I'm not going to hurt you. Kouga would definitely kill me if something happened to you." Kagome shook her head at the playfulness of the demon, recalling Laniko's words about the boys being mischievous. 

"RAIDON! I'M GOING TO FEED YOU TO MY PACK WHEN I GET MY HADNS ON YOU!!! THERE BETTER NOT BE A HAIR ON HER HEAD OUT OF PLACE!!" Kouga yelled. Raidon chuckled and looked back behind him where his brother was steadily gaining on him.

"If you're that worried, then come get her, Kouga!" he yelled back. Kouga pulled up beside his brother and glared. "Calm down, big brother. She's fine."

"Kagome?" Kouga asked, looking down at the girl in question.

"I'm fine, Kouga." she said, smiling at him.

"Drop her, Raidon!" Kouga growled, looking back at his brother. The younger demon grinned mischievously. 

"Sure you want me to do that, big brother?" he teased. "It's an awful long drop to the ground, and I don't think mikos can fly." Kouga glared at him and reached over, safely taking Kagome from his brother in midair. 

"Leave us, Raidon." he barked.

"Awww…come on Kouga…" Raidon whined, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Raidon…" Kouga threatened.

"I'm alright, Kouga." Kagome said, clutching the wolf prince. Her stomach was starting to cut flip flops again, and the sooner she got on the ground, the safer they all were from her throwing up on them. "He was only playing." Kouga growled and shot off like a lightning flash, leaving a smirking Raidon behind.

"Just like father." he grinned, running after his brother. "Wouldn't mother be proud, Kouga? I think she would be. I know I am…"

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A/N- Okay, how'd I do? Like I said before, there are going to be many other characters in this story that are not present in the manga or television show. Sorry to anyone who doesn't like that. But they won't be playing too much of a major part, so don't worry about them.

Anyway, remember to leave me a review telling me what you think. I really want to know.


	30. Chapter 30

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Disclaimer - It's not mine. It never was.

A/N - Okay, this chapter should answer a few questions some people have been having, especially concerning Kikyou's intentions for Inuyasha. It will also give the real reason why Kikyou is regaining her power from the Shikon jewel. So, read on and enjoy the chapter.

Later,

A.A.

Questions Answered

"Inuyasha…Inuyasha, are you listening to me?" called Kikyou from across the room. She looked over at the white haired hanyou and frowned. Once again, the hanyou was lost in his thoughts. _'No doubt about that stupid little girl Kagome and the unborn child.'_ she thought cynically. _'No matter. A few more weeks, and I will have my revenge on both Inuyasha and Kagome. Inuyasha will be dead by my hand, and the child that he is so worried about will be nothing more. As for the witch Kagome, she will watch as I kill the love of her life, and rip that precious unborn child from her womb. Then, I will kill her, leaving her body to rot in the very lands she once traveled with Inuyasha by her side. They will rue the day that they crossed me!'_

Inuyasha was lost in his thoughts about Kagome and the child, much like they had been since he had had the final confrontation with Kagome a few weeks ago. Every night since he had last saw Kagome, he had dreamed of her and the child she carried within her body. On more than one occasion, he had woken up sweating profusely and cursing the gods for his foolishness concerning the girl from the future. He did not know what he could possibly do for Kagome and his child, seeing as how he had forfeited his rights over to Kagome; and the fact that she probably would not want to see him anyway also cooled his ardor to see her again. 

"Inuyasha!"

He jerked his head up, coming face to face with Kikyou. Her face was carefully schooled into a look of concern, but he could sense the hatred she was hiding.

"Yes, Kikyou." he answered. "You say something?"

"I was telling you it is time to eat." she said quietly, moving away from him to get a bowl of soup. "Are you feeling okay, Inuyasha?"

"Feh. I'm fine. Just worried about Kagome." he said absently. Kikyou stiffened at the mention of the other girl, and Inuyasha wanted to kick himself for letting Kagome's name slip. He knew any mention of her to Kikyou was asking for trouble, and an argument that was guaranteed to last for two days. The last time he had slipped and mentioned Kagome's name, Kikyou had quit speaking to him for two days. And ever since then, Kikyou had started becoming colder and more distant from him. _'Well, it's not like she was just a wonderful little ball of sunshine to begin with, now was it?'_ he thought sarcastically.

"Why do you worry with her?" Kikyou sneered. "She's with the wolf youkai, Kouga, and no longer any concern of yours." She handed him a bowl of soup and sat down to eat.

"And she's carrying my child, Kikyou." Inuyasha stated grumpily, staring at the bowl in front of him. "Doesn't that give me a reason to worry?"

"You said yourself that the child was probably not yours, Inuyasha." Kikyou prodded. "What's changed your mind all of a sudden?"

"I know Kagome." he muttered. "I know she wouldn't betray me." Kikyou turned her back on the hanyou, mumbling something. Inuyasha only caught some of it, but what he did hear was enough to make his blood run cold. 

__

'..miko bitch…..little longer….both…..dead….little longer….'

**Meanwhile in the East…**

Kouga landed on the same cliff overlooking the fishing village he and Kagome had been at yesterday. After depositing Kagome on her feet, he took a quick look around, noticing that the sun was just starting to break through the morning clouds overhead.

"Looks like we're the first ones here." he mumbled. A few seconds later, he sensed three demons coming their way. Kagome also noticed the aura's and stood up from her spot.

"They're here." she said.

"Yeah. I know." he answered, watching as three distinct whirlwinds came to a halt in front of them. When the wind settled down, Raidon, Laniko, and Lord Jiro were once again standing before them.

"Kouga, Lady Kagome," Laniko said warmly. "I trust your journey was pleasant."

"I'm sure it was really pleasant." Raidon smirked, grinning at Kagome. Kouga let a warning growl loose and Raidon backed up.

"Father. Lady." Kouga acknowledged. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yes." his father answered. "Our destination is the fishing village outside of Koto's den. Land outside the village close to the forest line. From there we walk." They nodded and Jiro and Laniko took to the air.

"Need a lift, Kagome?" Raidon asked, his eyes glinting mischievously in the morning light.

"Get lost, Raidon." Kouga growled, gathering Kagome up bridal style.

"Yuck! Someone woke up on the wrong side of the den this morning." the younger demon teased. "Or was Kagome not with you this morning when you woke up?"

"Raidon…" Kouga growled. Kagome hid her amusement at the bickering. The two male demons reminded her of two children arguing over a toy, with one trying to get on the other one's nerves enough to give up their prize. Raidon smirked once again and with a wink to Kagome, took off into the air.

"Do you think he ever met Miroku?" Kagome asked absently.

"I'm not sure. Why?" Kouga grumbled, holding onto her before taking off towards the north.

"They think just alike." Kagome laughed. Kouga shook his head and took off behind the rest of his family, ready to get the day over with.

An hour or so later, Kouga landed outside a small village, right next to his father and brother. Without a word, the group of four demons and a miko proceeded into the forest. Even though the forest looked as though it should be thriving, everywhere around them were signs of death and decay. The branches of the mighty trees were dropping, and there was a thick layer of dead, decaying leaves on the forest floor. None of the rivers or streams that they happened to pass were running, all of them completely still with green slime beginning to form on the top of the water. The smell of decaying flesh could be recognized by the group, including Kagome. 

__

'No wonder the packs would be starving.' Kagome thought, looking through the underbrush. _'Nothing can survive on this land. Everything is either dying, or already dead!'_

After walking for nearly half an hour, they came upon a small cottage nestled into some trees at the base of a hill. The cottage was modest, about the right size for one person to live in. Along one walls of the but was a set shelves that had different herbs drying on them. Kagome recognized some of the plants from the work she had done with Kaede and Keiko. 

Outside the hut was a woman roughly the size of Kagome, bending over a box of wood. Jiro and Laniko continued forward, clearing their throats to summon the demoness' attention. When the dragon woman turned around, Kagome blinked in surprise.

The woman looked no older than Kagome. Her waist length mossy green hair was braided down the back. But what surprised Kagome most was the woman's face. Her eyes were reminiscent of the slit-eyed dragon youkai's she had faced during her journey for the shards. Her ears were pointed and almost elf like. There were also a pair of green, scaly streaks on each of her cheeks. But perhaps the most amazing thing was the set of wings that she extended when she bowed to the youkai Lord in front of her. The wings were completely draconic, covered by rough dragon hide, and spreading at least five to each side of the woman.

"Lord Jiro. Lady Laniko." she said respectfully. "To was do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"Rise, Cali." Laniko said gently, her hand on the woman's shoulder. "We are in need of your advice on a number of subjects. It seems we have come across a few problem that we cannot seem to figure out on our own."

"What can I do to be of service?" she asked.

"Let's go inside." Laniko said. "It's much more pleasant." The dragon woman nodded and retracted her wings, leading them into the hut. The little hut was sparsely furnished, but gave off the homey atmosphere that reminded Kagome of her own home on the other side of the well. Cali quickly brought out some tea and served it to her guests. After they were situated, Jiro came straight to the point of their visit.

"Cali, we need your advice." the Eastern Lord explained. The woman nodded and waited for him to continue. Jiro turned to Kagome and nodded. "This is Lady Kagome, a friend of my family, and the miko who purified the legendary Shikon jewel."

"I have heard of you." Cali said, nodding to where Kagome was sitting. "You're adventures are well known throughout our world."

"Thank you." Kagome said. "It is an honor to meet you."

"Kagome is in a bit of a spot." Kouga said, ready to get some answers. "She's …."

"..pregnant." Cali cut in. "I know, my prince. And the child has demon blood does it not?" No one seemed really surprised that the woman knew. _'Kouga probably told her too.'_ Kagome thought wryly.

"Yes." Kagome said. "I was told that I run the chance of purifying my own child because of my miko abilities. Is that true? Will I kill my own baby?" Cali looked at the girl, a small frown on her face.

"I'm afraid it is true, Lady." she said after a moment of hesitation. "The power of the Shikon, coupled with your own miko capabilities will search out and purify anything that is tainted by demon blood." Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to stop the heady flow of tears that threatened to escape. She had thought that maybe Kaede's theory had been false, and that nothing would happen to the baby. Kouga, sensing her distress, wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him for comfort.

"Is there a way to stop it?" Kouga asked suddenly, watching the dragon hanyou. 

"Yes. There is." she said.

"How?" he asked.

"Kagome must transfer her miko abilities into another person, or something that can hold them." Cali explained. " And the sooner she does it, the better."

"How do I do that?" Kagome asked, brushing away a few tears.

"You must concentrate your miko abilities, and infuse them into a container of some sort." Cali explained.

"What kind of container?" Laniko asked.

"You are the keeper of the Shikon jewel, are you not?" Cali asked Kagome. "Use the jewel to absorb your abilities."

"I can't." Kagome answered nervously.

"Why not?" 

"The jewel was reabsorbed into my body after the wish was granted." Kagome said.

"Take it out." Cali said simply.

"What?"

"Remove the jewel from your body." Cali said. "Transfer your power to the jewel, then entrust it to someone during the last two months of your pregnancy, and you and the child will be fine."

"Are you sure it is possible?" Laniko asked. "I've never heard of this before."

"Positive." Cali answered firmly.

"How positive?" Kouga questioned, doubting the hanyou's words. He was not willing to take any chances with Kagome or the child's health.

"It will work." she said firmly. "I know because my mother done the very same thing when she was pregnant with me, many years ago."

"What did she use as a holding container." Kagome asked.  
"During her labor, my mother transferred her power to my father." Cali said coldly.

"But wouldn't that…." Raidon started.

"Yes. It killed him." she said stoically. "He died the day I was born. It was then, after I was born, that my mother figured out how to transfer and contain her power."

"So, I need to get the jewel out of my body, put my miko power in it, and keep it away from me during the last two months of the pregnancy?" Kagome asked wearily. Cali nodded.

"Exactly." she answered.

"Very well." Jiro said. "That's one problem out of the way. There is one other topic in question. Cali, do you know what has caused these lands to die off. The forest is dying, and my tribes are on the verge of starvation. The humans are attacking my family and blaming them for the decline."

"The land has been poisoned." she said evenly, looking at the wolf Lord.

"Poisoned?" Laniko asked. "How can land be poisoned?"

"There has been a curse placed on the land. It will continue to die unless the cause of the curse is eliminated."

"Is there a way to clear the land of the curse?" Raidon asked.

"You would need someone with immense power to destroy whatever is causing the land to die off, preferably a miko, or someone with strong holy powers." Cali said. "They have to have the ability to purge the poison out of the soil."

"Could Kagome do it?" Jiro asked. "Could she use her power and hold on the Shikon jewel to purge the lands?"

"She would run the risk of killing her child if she tries to use her powers to that extent." Cali said. "The less she uses her powers, the better chance she has for no complications during her pregnancy. If she were to use the Shikon jewel's power to that extent, not only would it possibly kill the child, but it could harm her as well."

"My powers are weakening anyway." Kagome said dejectedly. "They are leaving me, and I doubt I would be able to help you."

"You're miko abilities are not deserting you, Kagome." Cali said reassuringly. "They are looking for a place to harbor themselves until the child is born. After the birth of the child, they will return to you." Kagome looked at the dragon-woman and frowned.

"Her body is actually trying to protect the child by transferring her power to someone else?" Raidon asked, amazed that it was possible.

"Yes. In fact, I'm relatively sure the power is receding into another miko." Cali said. "Some one who has an understanding of the Shikon's power."

"Kikyou." Kagome muttered angrily. "That's how she's regaining her power."

"Yes." Cali said. "The power will continue to recede into this Kikyou unless you contain your power."

"So the power flow will stop if I pull my abilities and contain them. Kikyou would stop getting the power of the Shikon back?" Kagome asked.

"Yes. Unfortunately, the longer you wait to contain the power, the more of it reverts back to Kikyou, therefore making her stronger." Cali said. Kagome sighed and closed her eyes in aggravation. _'Kikyou isn't regaining her power because of my anger, she's regaining it because my body is unconsciously trying to protect my baby from the effects of the jewel.'_ she thought.

"Thank you , Cali." Lord Jiro said. "Your wisdom is greatly appreciated."

"Whatever I may do, my Lord. Is there anything else I can assist you with?" the lady asked.

"No, Cali. That will be all." Jiro said off handedly. The youkai rose from their seats and exited the small hut. Laniko gave her thanks to the woman as the turned to leave. Once out of hearing range, Jiro pulled the group to a stop.

"Until we find out how to heal the lands, we need to go to the villages, and keep the wolves and humans placated. Any suggestions?" he asked.

"We need to go to the dens and explain what has happened. That way they an watch out for any suspicious people." Laniko suggested.

"What about food?" Raidon asked. "It will not be much longer before there is no land up here capable of hunting on."

"Send some supplies from the other tribes." Kagome said, looking at the Eastern Lord.

"Yes. The supplies coupled with the stores in each den will keep them from starving." Raidon reasoned. Jiro nodded, understanding the reason behind the suggestion.

"Laniko, Lady Kagome, I trust I can leave it in your hands to take care of the villagers?" he asked. Laniko nodded and turned to leave.

"Me?" Kagome asked, pointing to herself. "Why me?"

"Of course. You'd be a great help in convincing the villagers." Laniko said. "You are completely human, and the carrier of the Shikon. The villagers will be able to put their trust in you much quicker than they would one of us."

"Okay. If it will help you guys. I'll go. Although I'm not going to promise anything." she said.

"Very good." Lord Jiro answered. "The rest of us will depart to the dens to do what we can to placate them and take inventory of the supplies they have as of now. We will meet up outside the village after sundown."

"Father," Kouga said quickly. "Is it wise for Lady Laniko and Kagome to go to the village unattended? The animosity towards wolf demons may extend to Lady Laniko."

"And your suggestion?" the Eastern Lord asked.

"Let me go with them." Kouga stated.

"I need you with me." Jiro stated, eyeing his eldest son.

"Take Laniko with you, father. The packs will listen to her before the will listen to me." he said firmly.

"Very well, take the miko and go." Jiro said, waiving his hand. Kouga nodded, swept Kagome up and took off towards the nearest village. Laniko grinned as she watched the funnel cloud move away.

"He does realize that he'll make thing worse." Raidon grinned. "At least Lady Laniko is part human. Kouga's full demon."

"Kouga's only concern right now is Kagome and the child's protection." Jiro said with a sigh. "I should have known better than to try and separate them, even for a little while."

"Sounds like big brother is paranoid." Raidon said, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against a tree.

"No, Raidon, he's not paranoid." Laniko said with a grin, looking over at her mate. "He loves her, very much." Raidon rolled his eyes and sighed.

__

'Yep, mom would be proud of you, big brother. That she would…..' he thought, taking off after his father and step mother.

It had been a well known fact that Kouga had been deeply affected by their mother's parting so many years before. The Lady Kei had always held a special reverence for her eldest son Kouga. She knew from the moment that he was born that he would be gifted with a strong spirit, and would eventually rival the majority of any wolves in speed and strength. Because of that, she had tried to instill some more important values in him before her passing, mainly the ones consisting of how youkai royalty should be towards humans; of course, Lord Jiro had always scoffed at the idea of treating humans on an equal basis at that time. Eventually though, he quit fighting with Kei and allowed her to teach Kouga the patience to deal with humans. It seemed now that those lessons had been the very reason that had kept Kagome with Kouga at this point. And to Raidon, it just seemed that Kagome was a gift from the heavens for Kouga and the rest of the wolf family; but more specifically, it was like she was a special gift from their mother. Kagome was someone that could fill the spot in Kouga's heart that had died after his mother's passing; and for that, Raidon was eternally grateful.

__

A/N: Okay, now that I finally got this story back to where I had it -about three chapters ago- I figured I would let you guys have the next couple of chapters as a reward for sticking with me during the reposting process.

So, I hope you guys enjoy, since I think there are only going to be about four or five more chapters in this story. I haven't finished writing them yet, but it shouldn't be much longer according to the outline I have drawn up. Don't worry, the proverbial sh** is about to hit the fan in the next chapter or so. It should be interesting enough for everyone. ;)

Anyway, enough with my ridiculous babbling. 

Remember to leave me a review and tell me what you think. 

Later,

A.A.


	31. Chapter 31

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Disclaimer - It's not mine. Never was. So don't sue me. 

A/N: I'm so glad most of you guys are enjoying this story. I don't have much to say at the moment, so I'll take this time to pass out some well deserved thank-you's to my readers.

Sexy_blue- You needn't worry about me not putting up a chapter for that long. I'm finished writing the story, and I just need to type it all up now. Tell you're friend that I'll make sure not to do that. ;) Thanks for the review, and I'll be sure to keep you updated. Later, A.A.

InvisibleRain- I'm glad you approve of my technique to make Kikyou stronger. I just kinda figured she'd really get pissed if she found out it was Kagome and Inuyasha's kid that was making her gain and then loose her power when Kagome contains the jewel's power. ;) Thanks again, and I hope you like the next few chapters.

Rushyuo- I'm glad you like Raidon. I know most people don't like original characters too much, but I figured Kouga needed a pesky little brother to annoy him. As for the container and cutting the jewel out……you'll see soon enough. I don't want to give too much away too soon. Thanks again for the review. Later.

OswariIYK- I'm glad you like this plot twist. As for using Cali in your own story, I don't mind, as long as you give me credit for making her up. I plan on using her in my next Inuyasha fic, and I'd like to do that without someone jumping on me saying that I stole someone else's character (Who was in actuality my own character to begin with). Oh, and by the way, the email on your bio page wouldn't let me send you an email, or I'd have answered you sooner. Later. A.A.

Kouga gurl- Thank you for such the enthusiastic review. It really made my day! I will be adding the last few chapters as soon as I get them all typed up. They're finally written, I just have to type and post them. Well, I'm glad you are interested in Medical Technology. It's a great career field, and I am working on my own degree as it is. I wish you all the best of luck in the future, and I'll be sure to keep you informed of anymore stories I write. Later, A.A.

Fushigi Wolf- It's okay about not reviewing in a while. I know how computers can be bothersome at times. You needn't worry about Kouga getting gypped. Kagome is staying with him, I promise. Hope you enjoy the next few chapters.

Okay, I know there are many more of you out there, but I'm kinda running on a tight schedule here (College Chemistry tests are a pain in the a**!!!) Anyhow, I hope you guys like the coming chapters. The story should be summed up in about four or five more chapters.

Later,

A.A.

Chapter 31

Later that evening, when the sun began to set and the katydids began their complex lullabies of the night, Kouga and Kagome took their leave of the coastal villages and left to go back to the den. They had spent the whole day speaking with the village elders, explaining what had happened, and reassuring them that everything would be fine. After covering every single village, Kagome was tired and hungry. When they got to the den, Kagome and the wolf prince grabbed some food and went to sleep, both two tired to do anything else. Kagome had explained to Kouga earlier that day that she needed to go home for a little while. And after much playful whining on his part, Kouga had agreed to bring her back to Inuyasha's Forest, and to the well that would take her home.

The next morning, after bidding the pack members goodbye and promising to come back soon, Kouga took off for the well with Kagome securely in hand. When they arrived at the well, Kouga did not immediately let go of her, preferring to keep her in the relative safety of his arms. Unbeknownst to them, a certain white haired hanyou that had picked up their combined scents and had followed them to the well, and was currently crouched down behind some bushes.

"Must you go back, love?" Kouga asked, nuzzling the back of her neck playfully, knowing it was one of her more ticklish spots. Kagome giggled, but let a contented sigh escape.

"I'm sorry, Kouga." she answered gently, "But I have to go back for a while.'

"How long will you be gone?" he asked, hugging her tightly. Kagome smiled, giggling when his hands slid down her sides and tickling her again.

"About two or three weeks." she said. "I've got some things in my time to settle before I come back."

"You do realize that when you pull the jewel's power out of you, you're going to be stuck in one world or another, right?" he asked seriously. He wanted her to be with him during the pregnancy, but he did realize that she could always decided to stay in her own time.

"I know, and I need to contain the power soon. Cali told us that the gestation period for the child would probably be a little shorter than a normal human because of the demon blood. I need to contain the power soon, so I can keep it from reverting back to Kikyou."

"Do you think she realizes what's going on?" Kouga asked, still holding onto her. 

"Kikyou thinks that the power of the Shikon is reverting back to her because I get angry, not because my power is trying to distance itself from the child." Kagome answered truthfully. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm not going to tell her any different. Let her think what she wants."

"Well, if you wait to contain the jewel's power, the child will be safe until the last two months of the pregnancy, right?" Kouga asked. "That's what I gathered from Cali, anyways."

"I know. But I don't want Kikyou to regain any more of her abilities. I'm going to speak with my mother when I get back home, to see what her opinion is. I have a feeling I'm going to be spending more time here, in this era before this is all over with and my child is born." Kagome said with a sigh, taking strength from Kouga's loving embrace. 

"You can stay with me." he said, grinning down at her. "Just say when, and you've got it."

"Kouga…"

"I mean it, Kagome." he insisted, resting his chin on her head. "I want you around so I can make sure you'll be safe. I can't go with you to your world, and I can't force you to stay here with me."

"I won't be gone long, Kouga." Kagome answered. "As busy as you're going to be in the next few weeks, you'll never notice I'm gone. So don't worry yourself too much about it, okay?"

"No, I won't ever be so busy that I forget about you." Kouga said gently. "I'm going to miss you every single day you're gone. Come back to me, Kagome."

"I'll come back, Kouga." Kagome said, moving out of his warm embrace. "I'm not going to disappear."

"I know." the wolf prince answered, all but pouting. "It's just going to be a pain trying to face all those villagers who are out for wolf blood without you here. They trust you more than us, at least right now."

"Do you honestly think the land along the Northern Borders will get to the point where the packs will be starving?" Kagome asked, concern evident in her voice.

"It will be in a few more weeks." he answered grimly. "But hopefully by then we will have found out who done this and get them to reverse it. Until then, we're going to be sending supplies up there to keep things stable enough for everyone to live comfortably."

"Do you have any idea who could have cursed the lands?" she asked, wondering if maybe that had overlooked something during the search the day before.

"No. Father has no enemies willing to put out that much of an effort, at least none that I know of." Kouga answered, scratching his head in frustration. Kagome sat on the side of the well and looked up at the prince. There were worry lines creasing his handsome face, something she had never seen before. He was extremely concerned about his brothers and sisters in the northern territories, and it was obvious to her.  
"Well, I'm sure everything will work its way out. With all of the packs on the look out for any suspicious intruders, I'm sure you'll fin whoever is responsible." Kagome said firmly.

"I hope you're right, Kagome." Kouga said. "Because I don't want to see the packs up there be split up because of this. That's there homes up there. And uprooting them is going to present some major problems." Kagome shook her head in understanding and stood up from the side of the well, finally ready to go back to her won time.  
"Everything will work its way out, Kouga. It always does. It just takes some time, sometimes." she said.

"I know." he sighed, walking to her side and placing his hand around her waist. "You ready to go back now?"

"Yeah. I'm ready." she answered, peering down into the black inkiness of the well.

"You know you don't have to go…" Kouga teased, smiling at her playfully and tickling her sides.

"We've already been through this, Kouga." Kagome answered, squirming under his hands. "I'll be back in three weeks. I promise it won't be that long."

"One week." he argued, secretly hoping she would be willing to cut her trip home short. He knew it was selfish of him, but he wanted her with him, not five hundred years into the future.

"Okay, let's compromise." Kagome answered, knowing the stubborn streak in Kouga was only matched by the one in Inuyasha. _'At least I could "sit" Inuyasha.'_ she thought with a grin, remembering how many times she had made the hanyou eat dirt. _'I can't do that with Kouga. Of course, that is probably a good thing, now that I think about it.' _ "Two and a half weeks."

"Say two weeks, and you've got a deal. I won't say another word about it." he said. Kagome shook her head and sighed.

"Okay. Two weeks it is." she conceded, watching as Kouga's face lit up with happiness at winning the discussion.

"That's better, much better." he murmured, burying his face in her hair. Kagome giggled and leaned on the wolf demon.

"Yes. I'm sure the kids don't want you to get grumpy again, seeing as how I left." she teased. Kouga groaned, remembering what the pups had said before about him being hard to get along with when she was not around.

"Are you ever going to let me live that down?" he asked. "Those pups have big mouths. You weren't supposed to know about that."

"Maybe, I might let you one day." she said. "We'll see." Kouga growled playfully at her, and Kagome only smiled and patted his head. "Now you be a good little wolf prince and play nice with everyone else while I'm gone." 

"Does that mean I can't beat up Raidon when he starts his antics about you again?" Kouga asked, trying the puppy dog eyes Kagome could not resist.

"Yes." Kagome said mock sternly, a smile on her lips and her hands on her hips as she teased the wolf. "I don't want to hear about you beating up your little brother while I'm gone."

"Do I get a reward if I'm good?" he asked , grinning at her. Kagome shrugged her shoulders and cocked her head to one side, seemingly to contemplate his request.

"Well, I don't see why not, as long as you behave yourself." she said.

"What's my reward for being a good little wolf prince who doesn't beat up his annoying little brother?" he asked. 

"What do you want?" Kagome asked. Kouga smirked and leaned down to her, brushing his lips across hers once before claiming her mouth in a soul searing kiss that left no doubt in her mind as to what he wanted. Kagome had not been expecting that, but it was not time before she relaxed and returned the kiss. When they finally broke apart and Kouga let her go, Kagome blinked and tried to regain her composure.

"That answer your question?" he asked cockily.

"Quite thoroughly." she answered, shaking her head to make her brain go from the mush Kouga had created when he kissed her, back to the intelligent organ it was supposed to be any other time. Kouga only grinned and stepped away from her. Kagome shouldered her bag and sat on the well's edge, her legs dangling into the magical abyss that would transport her home. She suddenly got a wicked idea in her head and hid the smile that came to her face. It was true that she was beginning to hold Kouga's unending love, unbreakable patience, and goofy antics toward her above anything else. _'I'm falling for him.'_ she told herself grimly. _'I'm falling for Kouga, and I'm not really trying to stop myself. At least he_ _treats me like a queen, and loves me because I'm me, and not because I look like someone else. Besides, his family likes me, which is more than I can say for Inuyasha's brother Sesshomauro.' _"Oh, Kouga, one more thing." she said quickly, putting her plan into action.

"What is it, love?" he asked, leaning his body over Kagome's shoulder, peering down into the well. Kagome grinned, and turned her head to his. Grabbing his shoulders, she kissed him hard on the lips, and let go just as quickly, causing the wolf prince to blink in complete surprise at her audacious movement.

"Next time, just ask for a kiss." she said, a sassy grin on her face. "Give me a little bit of a warning next time, and you just might enjoy yourself a little more." And with that final comment, Kagome slid down into the well, and out of Kouga's sight and senses. When he had regained his senses, and processed what Kagome had said, he smiled and nodded his head. 

"Oh, I will, Kagome." he said happily. "Don't worry, I will." The wolf demon grinned like a pup with a new toy and took off towards the East, leaving a confused and angry hanyou sitting in a tree not far from the well.

Inuyasha was a mixture of very volatile emotions when Kouga had left. He was angry at Kagome and Kouga for their little display by the well that he had just witnessed. _'Well, she did say that she wasn't going to wait on me.'_ he thought. _'She's keeping her word, now isn't she?'_

He was amused to find that the lands in Kouga's father's care was dying. _'Serves the mangy wolf right. He's as bad as his son, stupid wolf!'_ Inuyasha thought angrily, kicking at some loose bark on the nearest tree.

But he was most intrigued to find that Kagome's power was receding into Kikyou because of the child, and not because Kagome was getting angry. _'Kikyou would have a fit if she found out the truth. I sure as Hell ain't going to tell her. That was one point where Kagome was right. The less she knows, the better off we all are.'_ he thought. Shaking his head, he left his hiding place and headed back to the hut where he and Kikyou lived.

When he got to the village he called home, he saw Kikyou speaking with one of the men who had returned form the eastern coastal villages where they had traded with some of the villagers. It seemed that the guy was beaten up pretty badly, and Inuyasha figured they had been attacked by some rogue bandits.

"When we got to the village, we heard that they were in a scramble to save their supplies. It seems as though some of the more northern parts of the land along the coast are unexplainably dying." he said as Kikyou dressed the wound on his arms. "So we did not get to trade as much as we had hoped."

"There has been a curse placed on the land." Kikyou said matter of factly. "Is it affecting the youkai wolf packs around the area by any chance?"

"According to the villagers, there have been attacks on the demon wolf tribes. A few of the wolves have been killed, and only some villagers have been injured." the man explained.

"Has anything been done to try and find the reason why things are dying?" Kikyou questioned. "Have they found the conduit that is the center of the problem?"

"The village elder told me that the wolf taiyoukai and some of his sons were around a few days ago, conferring with him and the wolf packs." he explained. "Apparently they had a human girl with the as well." Kikyou nodded and finished bandaging the man's arm, sending him on his way after thanking him for the information. _'So, my reincarnate things she can change things?'_ Kikyou thought. _'That little girl will not be able to stop my plans for her, and the wolf demon tribe that protects her.' _An evil smile graced her face, seemingly making her more cold than she already was. 

Inuyasha shook his head in confusion. _'What is she thinking?'_ he thought, watching as Kikyou gathered her herbs and left for another hut. _'The traded did not say anything about a curse being placed on the land, but Kikyou sounded like she knew exactly what was wrong with the place. What the hell is she doing?'_

Inuyasha frowned and walked into the hut, trying to digest and figure out exactly what was going on, not only in the dying north-eastern villages, but with Kikyou as well. He knew the miko had never been able to lie to him, because he could always tell when she fabricated the truth. He could tell that she was hiding something, but he was not exactly sure as to what it was. Deciding to worry about it later, Inuyasha grabbed a few rice cakes and settled himself into a tree near the hut, content to watch over the village and make sure none of the rogues that had attacked the trading caravan decided to target the village.

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A/N- Okay, now Inuyasha knows the real reason behind Kikyou regaining her miko abilities. Let's just see if our dear hanyou can do anything to figure out exactly what Kikyou is up to before anything gets to out of hand.

Later,

A.A.


	32. Chapter 32

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Disclaimer- It's not mine. It never was. Everything except the plot belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

A/N - This chapter is going to be a crossover chapter. It is absolutely vital in understanding the last few chapters, so pay close attention or you might miss something. Even though I would probably have written out at least four or five more chapters to present the information present in this chapter, I figured this story was getting too long as it was. So this is just a quick overview of what happened during the next month after the last chapter.

Hope you enjoy.

Later,

A.A.

Chapter 32

Over the next few weeks, Kagome continued to jump back and forth between the two eras, slowly beginning to spend more time in the Feudal Era, and consequently more time with the demon wolf pack. After she had explained to her family what would happen if she kept the jewel inside her during the pregnancy, they agreed that Kagome should give birth to the child in the past, then come home afterwards. Kagome had started to show now in her pregnancy, and as such, it had not been hard for her to decided to return to the Feudal Era until the pregnancy was over with, and her baby boy or girl was safely in the world.

After bidding her family good-bye for about three months, Kagome had moved most of the things she would need into Kaede's hut, where she had planned on living until the birth of her baby. The day she had come through the well the last time for a few months, Kouga had been waiting for her to aid in the next step of her journey. The removal of the jewel from her body.

Because the jewel had re-embedded itself into Kagome's body after Inuyasha had made the fateful wish that had brought back the innocent people killed during the shard hunt, Kagome had to get it out of her body in order to contain her powers within it. She had proposed the idea of Kouga using his claws to make a small incision on her side, then let her remove the jewel. The wolf prince had not liked the idea, but when Kagome said that the only other option was for her to return to her own time to have it surgically removed, the wolf had given in, not wanting to see Kagome go home so soon.

They had went to Kaede's hut and began the process of removing the jewel. Kagome had raised her shirt enough to expose the scar on her side where the jewel had originally come out of her upon her first descent into the well and the Feudal Age. Taking Kouga's hand, she had guided his fingers to right above where the jewel pulsated within her body. Kouga made a quick cut in the otherwise smooth skin and nearly panicked when Kagome's blood started to stain the white shirt she had been wearing. Kagome, although in pain from the incision, had quickly grasped the jewel and once again removed it from within her body. After getting the jewel out, Kouga had helped to heal the cut, using some sort of ointment Keiko had sent. 

Now, Kagome only had to contain her abilities and miko power into the walls of the jewel. She and Kouga had went into the forest the next day, far away from any surrounding villages just incase something went wrong. After focusing her concentration on the feeling of the jewel's power, she had drawn it out of her a little at a time and fused it into the jewel. Of course, it had seemed as though the miko abilities had not wanted to leave its hostess body and be contained into the jewel, putting up quite a fight and nearly causing Kagome to pass out from pure exhaustion before she had been able to pull all of it out of her. The backlashes of her power, fighting against being contained into the jewel had effectively destroyed most of the surrounding area where they had been.

Kouga, wanting to help, but not wanting to be purified from the backlashes, had done everything he possibly could to help her, which basically consisted of giving her support and keeping her from totally exhausting herself beyond repair -all from the relative safety of a high tree branch-. After the final backlash had disappeared and Kagome had contained the volatile power of her miko abilities, Kagome and Kouga had returned to the village to tell Kaede of their plan to send the jewel to none other than Miroku and Sango, who were still living in the demon exterminator village a few days away from her hut. 

They had set out for the exterminator village the next day, and easily found the married couple. After giving them an explanation, and telling them what they had been told from Cali, Miroku and Sango quickly agreed to watch over the jewel until Kagome could once again wield the power. Their only request was to see the child as soon as possible after Kagome had given birth. Sango had confided secretly that she thought she was pregnant as well, but did not want to tell Miroku in case it was a false alarm. After placing the jewel in their care, Kouga had taken Kagome back to Kaede's hut to get some well deserved rest. It was then that the wolf demon learned why Inuyasha had been so scared of the future girl's temper when she was angry.

When Kagome had come through the well for the last time, Kouga had assumed that she would come to live with him and the wolf pack until she bore the child. It had only made sense to him, considering she would be practically defenseless without the power of the Shikon jewel. However, it seemed as though Kagome had had different thoughts. After resting for a while, Kouga had mentioned that they needed to get back to the den and check on things. Kagome had insisted on staying with Kaede, leaving Kouga free to still watch over his pack as needed. Kouga, of course, insisted that she come with him to live at the den until everything was over with.

Well, it had ended up with Kagome going with Kouga after Kaede had pointed out that she would be completely defenseless without the Shikon's power, and it would make more sense to be in the most secure location. Kagome had argued, saying that there was no point in her having to move to the den, that she was safe within the village. But, thanks to Kaede's insistence and Kouga's stubbornness, Kagome had caved and listened to her common sense after it had settled in. She eventually went with Kouga, knowing that without her miko powers, she was not _completely_ defenseless, but she would be much safer surrounded by people who could protect her from harm.

The next month or so passed, and Kagome became used to the everyday routines of the den. Kouga reveled in the attention she was giving to his pack, and he spent as much time as he possibly could by Kagome's side. It became common to see the two of them walking by the stream in the evening time after the normal patrols and chores were finished and everyone had eaten dinner. Kagome, as a way to repay Kouga for his kindness, as well as kill some time during the long days, had taken over the duties of organizing the supplies that the tribes had been sending to the struggling areas of the Eastern lands. She kept inventory of what was in the main den's storage rooms, and made sure to send the surplus to the needed packs. It was during these days at Kouga's den that Kagome began to struggle even more with her feelings for the wolf prince and his family. It seemed as though the more her waist grew, the more her love for the wolves grew, especially for Kouga.

Kouga was happy with the arrangement, seeing as how they had had to split up three different tribes from the north and relocate them into the more stabilized southern packs. The lands were still dying at a rapid pace, and no one could figure out how to stop it, or where it was originating from. With the wolf packs gone, the villagers would be able to survive, but the stress caused by the relocation of some of the packs had taken its toll on the demon wolf royal family. Kouga was more stressed than usual, being one of the people responsible for taking care of the other packs. 

In fact, all of Lord Jiro's children had come together to help out their brothers and sisters. Kouga, Raidon, and Kentaro -the youngest of the three brothers-, as well as Lord Jiro, Lady Laniko, and Kouga's sisters (Rei, Meleena, Ami, and Sakura) had taken a hand in the preparations, along with their respective mates. Kagome had been greeted by the rest of Kouga's family, and quickly gained acceptance because of her mannerisms and obvious devotion to Kouga and the tribes. She did not know it, but Kagome had won over the entire youkai royal house, just being who she was. 

Kagome had welcomed the newcomers to Kouga's home den with warmth and grace that most female wolf leaders would not have shown to others. This quickly put many of the more nervous wolves at ease around the little miko. Of course, there were the people who did not approve of Kagome as Kouga's intended mate, but they were very few and far between. They were mostly elder members of the pack that were so stuck in the old traditions of the past that they had actually chastised Jiro when he had taken Laniko as his own because of her impure bloodline. But when word got around that Kagome was the miko who had purified the Shikon jewel, and was the wielder of its power, little else was said about her.

By now, everyone knew that Kouga and Kagome were not mated, and that she carried a child of inu heritage and not wolf heritage, and that she was not the actual leader of the tribes under Kouga's domain and protection, but they regarded her as such, with the utmost respect and reverence. The new members of the pack had quickly assimilated themselves into the normal, everyday routines of the central den, thanks mostly to Kagome's help. And for this, Kouga was forever grateful. In fact, Kentaro -Kouga's youngest brother- had jokingly asked if he could borrow Kagome for a few weeks and place her at his central den to help calm things down. Kouga had only beamed in happiness, knowing that if Kagome could win Kentaro's approval, there was little the miko could not do. Kentaro was the skeptic of the family, and always reserved. He tended to listen to the elders of his pack and stick with tradition until it was not possible to stick with it anymore. If he was willing to have Kagome at his den, then Kouga knew he had definitely chosen the woman who would eventually be his mate, and co-leader of his own tribe. 

During this period of restructuring in the east, there were changes occurring else where as well. Inuyasha had been keeping track of Kagome's coming and going as much as he possibly could. It seemed that Kikyou had become overly angry towards the younger girl, though Inuyasha could not figure out exactly why. Kikyou had started talking in her sleep, cursing Kagome and the child to an eternity in Hell. Inuyasha was very concerned about both Kikyou and Kagome. Kikyou, because her growing miko abilities -at least up until Kagome had sealed her power in the Shikon- gave her a weapon to use against Kagome due to the growing animosity. And he worried about Kagome because he knew she would soon give up her own miko abilities in deference to their child's life, effectively leaving her defenseless.

It was because of this very reason that Inuyasha was somewhat relieve to find that Kagome had taken refuge with Kouga and the wolf packs. Inuyasha had not told Kikyou the real reason for the Shikon's power receding into her, and when the power stopped coming back to her, Inuyasha secretly knew that Kagome had finally contained her powers into the jewel and entrusted it to someone. Kikyou of course, was angry when the power stopped receding, and Inuyasha noticed that the once dead miko had started disappearing from the village more frequently when he was gone. 

He had found her a mile outside the village one day, completely alone except for the lingering stench of another demon that permeated the air. He had questioned her about it, but Kikyou had brushed it off, telling him that she had went for a walk and gotten lost. That had not explained the demon scent, and Inuyasha knew she was once again hiding something, but he said nothing else, leaving the subject to die. He had started watching the priestess more carefully after that, but Kikyou had sensed she was being tailed, and quit running off.

The only time she did leave the village was every other week or so, to tend to an elderly couple named Yoshido that lived two days travel to the north of their home. Inuyasha had followed her the first couple of times, just to make sure where she was going. But after going with her three or four times, he had forgone the trip and let her go on her own, preferring to use the time to check up on Kagome. He did not really care to head to the north, seeing as how the stench of death still lingered in the air from the decaying land. What his concern was focused on was nothing other than Kagome.

The girl was positively glowing in the pregnancy. She was happy, and safe, and Inuyasha wanted to keep it that way. So when Kikyou's night time monologues about Kagome and the child had turned even more violent, Inuyasha was on alert instantly. Up until that point, he had been considering leaving Kikyou and going back to Kaede's village to try and reconcile with Kagome and his friends. However, now he stayed, continuing to play the part of Kikyou's lover, if only to watch out for Kagome's safety. He knew the future girl was safe with the wolves, but he was seriously afraid that Kikyou would snap and go after her. 

__

'It won't matter how many wolves she had around her, if Kikyou wanted to kill her.' Inuyasha thought one day as he watched a very pregnant Kagome playing with some of the new wolf cubs from the safety of a tree downwind of her and the adult wolves with her. It seemed as though she had started having back aches because of the extra weight she had put on, but other than that she seemed perfectly content and happy. _'If Kikyou snaps and decides to go after her, she'll kill every youkai in her path before she gets to Kagome. And I can't let her do that to Kagome………or my child.'_

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A/N - Okay. That's over with now. So, let's recap:

Kagome is staying with Kouga until the pregnancy is over.

The jewel was removed from Kagome and entrusted to Sango and Miroku after Kagome gave up her miko abilities in order to keep her child safe.

Kikyou is getting even more angry, and is starting to act suspicious.

Inuyasha, noticing the changes in Kikyou, changes his mind on going back to Kaede's to try and reconcile with his friends, and instead decides to stay around Kikyou in order to make sure that she does not harm Kagome or his child.

Three of the packs that once lived on the dying lands have had to be relocated, and split up among the more stable packs in the southern part of Lord Jiro's domain.

And last by not least, Kagome is starting to fall even harder for Kouga and his family.

There, I think that's the easiest recap. I hope I didn't loose you guys anywhere along there. So, I'll let you guys go to read the next chapter, when the sh** is going to hit the fan.

Hope you guys enjoy, and remember to leave me a review.

Later,

A.A.


	33. Chapter 33

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Disclaimer- It's not mine. It never was. Everything except the plot belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

A/N - Okay people, here is what most of you have been waiting for. Hope you guys enjoy. Oh, and just as a warning, one of the people that read over this before I posted it said that it is quite……gory and disgusting in certain areas. So, if nasty, disgusting stuff makes you sick, you might want to skip the last page or so of this chapter. You've been warned, so don't get onto me if you don't like it. I told you it was coming.

Later.

A.A.

Chapter 33

Kagome was awoken from her already sporadic night time sleep early one morning due to the violent lurch in her stomach. Pushing aside the blanket, she stood up from her bed and stretched, but another firm kick from the occupant inside of her stomach caused her to wince in pain. _'Well, at least I know someone's awake.'_ she though wryly, patting her bulging stomach with love. 

She had been with the wolf pack for a little over two months now, almost three actually, and just recently it seemed that her baby had started kicking and squirming at all times of the night and day. Because of this erratic schedule, the last two weeks had been absolutely horrid for Kagome. Her unborn child felt that it was completely suitable to wake up its mother at any given time during the night. As such, Kagome's sleeping patterns had been drastically altered. 

As she pulled on some clothes, she guessed that it was probably about five in the morning. The sun was not up yet, and it seemed as though the majority of the wolf pack was still peacefully asleep. Kagome pushed aside the pelt that curtained her quarters off from the main area and quickly made her way outside and into the fresh morning air. When she stepped out of the cave, she noticed that Ginta, Hakkaku, and Mika were stationed not far from the entrance, watching for intruders.

She immediately walked over to Mika, hoping to find something to kill some time until her baby calmed down. Mika was one of the members of the northern tribes that had been displaced because of the decaying homeland, and Kagome had quickly become good friends with the girl. Her family was one of the few white wolf packs left. The demoness had thick white hair and a short, white furry tail. Her ice blue eyes were quick to pick up on anything, and her quick wit kept everyone on their toes and in a good mood.

"Lady Kagome." she greeted happily, stepping down from her post. "You are up awful early. Is something the matter?"

"Good morning, Mika." Kagome said. "Nothing is wrong. It just seems like someone thinks it's playtime instead of sleep time." Kagome yawned and sat down next to the white wolf. 

"Oh, I see." the demoness smiled. "You don't feel sick again this morning, do you?" Kagome shook her head and smiled.

"Thank goodness, no." she answered. "Of course I haven't eaten yet." Mika smiled and glanced around the cave, scanning for any signs of intruders.

"The morning sickness should subside soon." she said. "I know my sister only had to deal with it for a few months. Eventually it went away on its own."

"I hope I have your sister's luck. Because I sure do not like throwing up my food every morning for the next few months." Kagome whined.

"It will get better." Mika reassured her.

"I hope so." Kagome answered wearily. "Oh, by the way, did Ginta and Hakkaku finish securing the last bit of supplies that are to be sent out today?"

"We just took care of that." came a deep, masculine voice from above the two women. They watched as Kouga jumped down from a ledge above, landing right in front of them.

"Good morning, Lord Kouga." Mika said respectfully, giving the wolf prince a bow.

"Mika." he said acknowledging the demoness. He then turned to Kagome and frowned. "What are you doing up so early, love? You should be resting."

"Tell that to Mr. Rambunctious in here." Kagome answered, pointing at her stomach. "Seems like he's got a mind of his own."

"He's kicking again?" Kouga asked, a grin on his face. The wolf prince placed a hand on Kagome's stomach and quickly felt a swift kick from the child within her.

"That answer your question?" she sighed. Kouga grinned and leaned up against a boulder, dismissing Mika with a nod.

"Well, I've got some good news." he said.

"What's that?" Kagome asked, willing to hear anything that had to be good news. 

"Everything is ready for the trip today. I just double checked everything." he said.

"Good. I wanted to make sure everything was there." Kagome said. "But I got side tracked yesterday with the children and did not get back to it."

"It's fine." Kouga said. "One more thing, though. You feel up to going with us today to bring the supplies to the fishing village?" Kagome shrugged and then winced as another swift kick was felt to her abdomen.

"Sure. Why do you ask? I usually stay here when you guys go." she said, placing her hand over her buldging stomach, willing the baby inside to calm down.

"Well, father thinks that they make have pinpointed the spot where the curse is originating from, and he wants me to check it out." Kouga said, rubbing her shoulders to help relieve some of the tension that was already starting to form there. "The scouts seem to think a miko may have created it, and father wants your opinion on it." 

"Sure. It'll be good to get out of the cave for a day." Kagome said with a sigh. "When do we leave?"

"We'll leave after the patrol shifts, and after we get some breakfast." he said, leading her towards the main cave. "Mika asked to accompany us today, seeing as how we are going to her homelands."

"Ugh! No food!" Kagome grimaced, just knowing that she would wind up throwing it up before they left.

"Now Kagome," Kouga scolded lightly, a small smile on his face. "You need to eat. It's not healthy for the pup if you don't."

"You wouldn't want to eat either if you threw it up a half hour after getting it down." she retorted sassily. Kouga only grinned. Kagome's morning sickness had hit her full force, making her throw up early in the mornings, usually before and after she ate.

"It's alright, love. A few more months and it'll be over with." Kagome only rolled her eyes and entered into the cave with Kouga.

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'I'm sure that's what he'd be saying if it was HIM blowing chunks when he ate!' she thought.

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Inuyasha awoke that morning to find that Kikyou had already left for one of her bi-monthly trips to the elder Yoshido couple's home a few hours north of the village. Glancing out of the widow across the room from the futon he and Kikyou shared, he figured it was about seven or eight in the morning according to the slant of the sunlight into the room. He rolled off of the bed and groped around for his clothes. After pulling on the fire rat armor, he strapped Tetsusaiga to his side and made his way to the front of the hut, searching for something to eat.

As he entered into the room, he immediately noticed a few things that seemed awkward. The herbal bag Kikyou usually took with her on her journey to the north was still sitting in the basket next to the fire place. Her bow and arrows were gone as well, and so was the small dagger one of the villagers had given her.

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'That's odd.' he thought absently, grabbing some rice cakes and eating them. _'She's never brought her weapons before. There aren't any stray youkais or rogue bandits prowling around up that way, I've made sure of that.'_ He shook his head in confusion and decided to use the time while Kikyou was gone to go check on Kagome. He grabbed a few more rice cakes, stuffed them into a pack, and took off towards the wolves' den, hoping to catch a glimpse of Kagome.

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Meanwhile, in the dead center of the decaying forest along the northern border of Lord Jiro's lands, plans were being put into action.

"Matsuma?" called a young woman.

"Yessss, mistressss?" a snake demon hissed, sliding out of the shadows of the dying trees. "You requessssted to sssseee me?"

"Is everything ready?" the woman asked, her cold voice matched only by her colder demeanor.

"Yessss. My warioursss are in possssition." he said, bowing his head as the eerie, slit green eyes flashed dangerously. We only await your ssssignal."

"Very well." the woman said coldly. "Remember my instructions, Matsuma. Do as you please with the others, but leave the human girl to me."

"Yesss, Mistressss." he answered. "And the hanyou?"

"The hanyou will not be a problem, I assure you." the woman said icily, her own eyes flashing. The snake demon nodded.

"Are you sssure thissss ploy of yoursss will work, Mistresss?" he asked. "What if the human girl issss not with the caravan?"

"She will be." the woman answered. "That fool Jiro will want her to check out the conduit I've been using to transfer the spell to the land. And now that I've raised the concealment charm on it, and they've pinpointed the location, that fool Jiro will want her to take a look and see if she can figure out what is going on."

"What would a human know of a concealing sssspelll?" the demon hissed. "Those creaturessss are too sssstupid to know anything usssssseful."

"That wench was at one time a miko, and a very powerful one. But she contined her abilities in order to save the child she now carries within her." the woman hissed.

"Sssshe'sss powerless?" the snake asked, his raspy voice holding a hint of amusement.

"You needn't concern yourself with her. After this, you will have your lands back that the wolf tribe has taken. Concentrate on your own part of this plan, and I will fulfill my duties."

"Of coursssse, Mistressss." the demon hissed, sliding back into the shadow of the trees. "We await your sssignal." The woman nodded and gazed upon a huge, half dead oak tree in front of her. The tree pulsed with the power emanating form it. Matsuma watched as the woman smiled evilly and disappeared into the shadows of the forest, a bow in her hands and a quiver of arrows on her back.

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Kouga unloaded the last of the cargo present and waited as Kagome finished speaking with the village elder. It still amazed him how much Kagome's presence with the supply caravan seemed to put the human villagers at ease. The wolf demon tribes had been sending some supplies to the villagers near the dying forest where the death of the land was the worst, and this was one of the few times he had brought Kagome with him. _'Need to remember to bring her more often.'_ he thought. _'Seems like the villagers are more at ease when she is with us.'_ Kouga wiped his hands on a skin and walked to where Kagome and the elder were still speaking with each other.

"..seems like they are grouping in the forest. Some of my hunters have seen them, especially in the last month or so." the old man said. "One of the younger men was seriously injured one night during a hunt. They ganged up on him and nearly beat him to death."

"Who?" Kouga asked.

"It seems as though some snake demons are inhabiting the forest." Kagome explained. "They've been terrorizing some of the villages near here."

"Snake demons?" Kouga asked. "That's impossible. We drove them out of the Eastern Lands over a hundred years ago. Are you positive, old man?"

"Absolutely, my Lord. " the elder replied. "The only thing we know is that they follow the leadership of the one called Matsuma."

"Matsuma, huh?" Kouga asked. "I figured he'd be dead by now. That bastard's older than father, and twice as mean."

"I'm afraid that is all we know, Lord Kouga." the elder said, bowing to them.

"That's fine, elder-Senkai." Kagome said. "We're going to check the area out after leaving here. Maybe we can find some answers."

"Much luck to you, Lady Kagome, Lord Kouga." he said. "I am afraid that the village is dwindling in supplies. The sooner we find a way to fix the land, the quicker everything goes back to normal."

"Thank you again, elder." Kagome said. "If we find anything of importance, we'll notify you immediately." The old man nodded and bowed as Kagome and Kouga took their leave.

"Are the supplies unloaded?" Kagome asked.

"Yes, I've already sent them back to the den. We're to meet up with father soon, to see if we can figure out what is going on." Kouga said.

"Do you know anything about the snake demons?" Kagome asked.

"I know of the one they call Matsuma." he said. "He was the leader of a large group of snake demons a little over a century ago. They started making trouble about a hundred or so years ago, threatening the villagers and trying to kill off the wolf packs."

"What happened?" Kagome asked. She had never known about this story, and it interested her to find out what had happened.

"Father banished them." Kouga said simply. "They haven't been seen around here since then. Not a surprise, really. Snake demons are not exactly the most sociable of creatures."  
"What do you mean?" Kagome asked, her curiosity peaked. She had had a few run ins with snake demons during the hunt for the shards, and always found them quite interesting.

"Snake demons are notorious for alienating themselves away from humans, unless they're terrorizing or raiding villages." Kouga explained. "As a matter of fact, they tend to use humans as sacrifices to their gods."

"Sacrifices?" Kagome asked nervously. "Please don't tell me they eat humans, too."

"Okay, I won't." Kouga shrugged. By now, they had reached the edge of the village where Mika was waiting, alongside Lord Jiro, Lady Laniko, and Raidon. "Father, are we ready to leave?"

"Yes. You know where to go, do you not?" he asked. 

"Meet up at Sumata's storage caves." Kouga answered, gathering Kagome up for the flight.

"Exactly, we will meet you there momentarily." Jiro said. "I want to check out another part of the forest before I go there."

"We shouldn't be long." Laniko said.

"I think I'll go with Kouga and the Lady." Raidon said with a grin to Kagome. Kouga reacted as expected and growled at his younger brother. 

"Well, should we go, brother?" Raidon asked. "I do believe Mika knows the quickest way to get there."

"That's right, you're pack is from this area, isn't it?" Kagome asked, looking at the girl, a smile on her face.

"You are correct, Lady." Mika answered. "It's not far at all."

"Let's go then." Kouga said. He gripped Kagome tightly and took off, following the trails of the other two wolves.

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Ginta sat down on the boulder closest to him as the sun beat down unmercifully on the grounds. It had turned out to be a rather hot day and the sentries on patrol were sweltering in the heat.

"Hakkaku!" the wolf called. "Is Kouga back yet?" Another wolf demon appeared on the ledge above him, rubbing his eyes. "Have you been sleeping on duty again, Hakkaku?"

"It was just a little nap." Hakkaku defended. "Besides, what do you want with Kouga?"

"I needed to give him a report on the trip I took to the northern lands last week." Ginta said.

"What's going on up there?" Hakkaku asked , settling himself on the boulder next to Ginta. "Besides the land dying, that is."

"You remember the old couple that lived in the hut on the edge of the territory?" Ginta asked, a frown on his face.

"The Yoshido's?" Hakkaku asked, frowning. "Yeah, what about them?"

"When I went down there last week, I found the old couple dead outside the hut." Ginta answered.

"Why's that so important? You know humans are going to die eventually."

"There were signs of a group of snake demons near the bodies." Ginta said. "And it looked like they had been dead for a good three weeks or so."

"Snake demons?" Hakkaku asked. "They're back?"

"I don't know, but I figured Kouga would want to know about it."

"Well, it's going to have to wait because he and sister Kagome haven't returned yet."

"That's right, sister Kagome went with Lord Kouga to the village today, didn't she?" Ginta asked, hitting himself in the head. "How could I have forgotten?"

"Umm hmmm…." Hakkaku mumbled sleepily. Ginta looked over at his partner and frowned.

"Get up, you lazy wolf!" he said. "We're supposed to be watching for intruders!"

"Oh, get over it, Ginta." Hakkaku yawned. "No one is stupid enough to attack the den. In fact, I doubt anyone has the nerve to get this close without an invitation. They'd be stupid to try." Ginta frowned as the wind picked up, rustling the leaves on the forest floor and cooling the two sentries slightly.

"Kouga's gonna be mad if he comes back and finds you like this." Ginta warned.

"Yeah….sure….okay…." Hakkaku mumbled. Ginta frowned and continued on his patrol, reminding himself to speak with Kouga when he finally returned.

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Mika landed in front of a large cave, making sure to leave enough room for the other demons following her. Kouga and Raidon touched down only moments later.

"How far are we away from the are my father has in question?" Raidon asked, turning to the white haired wolf woman.

"Not far." she answered. "A short walk."

"Why did we stop then?" Kouga asked, letting Kagome go.

"We're walking from here." she said.

"Why?" Kagome asked. She had already walked enough as it was today, and her back was starting to protest anymore of it. Not to mention, her baby seemed to be getting restless again.

"Lord Jiro placed a barrier around the area." Mika explained. "Once we get there, the barrier will disengage, so we needn't worry. But we can't fly into the clearing."

"Well, let's go." Kagome said. "Oh, by the way, what's so special about this place? What's here that Lord Jiro thinks is responsible for the destruction of the land?"

"There is a clearing right outside this tree line." Raidon explained. "Right in the middle is an oak tree over a hundred feet high. It's been there for years, and is the strongest and biggest tree in the forest for a good ways. The tree seems dead to look at it, but it has started pulsating a large amount of energy from it."

"And there are some symbols carved into the bark." Mika said, pushing a half dead tree branch out of her way. "I've never seen them before."

"That is odd." Kagome said. They followed a sporadic trail for the next few minutes before coming to the end of the tree line. Kagome looked out and saw the large oak tree standing in the middle of the clearing. _'Mika was right.'_ she thought as they walked closer to it. _'This think really does look half dead. How could it be giving off any form of energy.'_

"You weren't kidding about the energy, were you?" Kouga asked, frowning. He could feel the waves of energy coming from the tree. _'This thing is almost completely decayed. Where is this energy coming from?'_ He looked over at Kagome, who was walking slowly around the tree, inspecting the bark. Shaking his head, he walked to the other side of the clearing, searching for some sort of clue as to what was going on.

"Mika, are these the carvings you were talking about?" she questioned the white wolf. Mika took a quick look at the tree trunks and nodded.

"Yes." she answered. "I've never seen then before. Do you know what they are?"

"It's the same markings on a miko spell scroll." she said, studying them closely. "Kaede taught me about them some time ago."

"What do they do?" Mika asked. Kagome looked a little closer at the markings and felt all the color drain from her face when she realized exactly who had made the spell scroll carvings in the tree bark.

"This spell markings in particular is a sort of time-release spell. It regulates the flow of something." Kagome said absently, still staring at the marking at the bottom of the carvings.

"Who would want to regulate something?" Mika asked. "Especially out here. This is not making any sense."

"Yes, it does." Kagome said, brushing some of the decayed bark from the tree, revealing what looked like a thick, red, pasty substance inside the hollowed trunk. "It makes perfect sense." Kagome dropped to her knees and awkwardly pulled some of the dead leaves from the base of the tree, revealing small hole seeping the red paste mix out of the bark and into the ground. "She was using the tree as a conduit for her powers. This paste is made as of a combination of different plants that form a strong poison when mixed together. Demon hunters use it to flush out burrowing demons from under the ground, making them easier to kill. And it looks like she infused her own powers into the mix, making it deadlier. She put the poison in the hollowed trunk, then used the spell scroll to slowly release the poison into the land through the holes at the base of the tree. But no one could see the holes because the dead leaves had been piled up around it to hide them."

"You keep saying 'she', do you know who is responsible for this?" Mika asked, watching Kagome carefully throughout the explanation.

"Yes. I do." Kagome said flatly. "I know exactly who's responsible."

"Who?"

"Kikyou." Kagome answered, standing back up and throwing the leaves in her hands back down onto the ground.

"Who's that?" Mika asked.

"Someone who I wish would just go to Hell and stay there." Kagome answered vehemently. Mika nodded, and decided it was probably better for Kouga to get to her, and soon.

"Kouga! Raidon! Come here! Kagome found something!" Mika yelled. The two wolf demons came to the women's sides, quickly noticing that Kagome's anger was mounting quickly.

"Kagome? Love, what's wrong?" he asked. "What did you find?"

"I know who's responsible for this." she said, gesturing to the tree and the surrounding land. "I know who done this to the lands."

"Who?" Kouga asked.

"Kikyou." she said icily.

"Inuyasha's bitch?" Raidon asked, not quite believing her. "How do you know?"

"Look at the tree trunk." Kagome said. "The carvings are the exact same as the spell scrolls made by Kaede, the miko that helped to train me."

"So? What's your point? Aren't all miko scrolls the same?" Raidon asked, shrugging.

"No, each miko sect has its own special markings, an insignia if you must. The heads of each sect pass down the pattern of the markings to their students. Kaede taught me how to make spell scrolls using those markings. And Kaede learned form her sister Kikyou, before she was killed by Naraku's deception."

"Kikyou." Kouga spat. "I'll tear her to pieces for doing this!"

"Kagome, are you absolutely sure it is this Kikyou's markings?" Mika asked.

"Absolutely." she said firmly. "The only other people who know how to make these markings are myself, Kaede, and the miko that taught Kikyou. The miko that taught Kikyou died a long time ago, but Kikyou was brought back with Inuyasha's wish. I haven't been up here, and Kaede wouldn't do this. So, it only leaves Kikyou."

"What about the land?" Raidon questioned. "Why is it dying?"

"The tree has been filled with a form of poison which severely harms any living creature, whether it is plant or animal." Kagome said. "It's the same stuff Sango used when you and Inuyasha were battling with Kageromauro and Jaroumaouro, remember Kouga? The only difference is that it's about ten times more concentrated, making it ten time stronger."

"The stuff she used to flush the little pesk out from under the ground?" Kouga asked, remembering the battle with Naraku's detachments.

"The very same." Kagome said angrily. "And if I'd have to guess, I'd say some of these surrounding trees are hollowed out and filled with this stuff, too." Kouga shook his head, his anger quickly mounting as Kagome's words sank in. _'Why?' _ he thought. _'What has she got to gain by killing off my father's lands?'_ His mind was quickly pulled out of its inner monologue when he felt the approaching presence of demons, and a whole lot of them. He pushed Kagome behind him and started growling.

"We've got company." he bit out. Raidon and Mika, apparently sensing the demons as well, fell down into a defensive position next to Kouga, successfully caging Kagome in with the half dead tree behind her.

"What's going on, Kouga?" Kagome asked worriedly. Without her miko powers, she was practically helpless, and she did not want to have to fight right now. "Who's coming?"

"I don't know, love." he said, his eyes scanning the tree line for the intruders. "But I think it's those snake demons the elder was mentioning earlier."

"Kouga, we need to get her out of here." Mika said. "Kagome is pregnant, and has not defenses."

"Too late." Raidon said grimly. "We're surrounded."

Sure enough, out of the shadows of the dying trees came a hoard of snake demons. The entire clearing was surrounding by the green skinned, slit eyed demons, all hissing furiously at the wolves and the human in the center. The three wolf demons growled menacingly at the intruding demons, warning then to back down.

"What I the meaning of this?" Kouga barked. "What are you doing within these borders?" A lone snake demon came forward, smirking ant all but laughing at the three wolf demons in front of him.

"Ahhh, the young princesses, Lord Kouga and Lord Raidon." he hissed. "How nice to sssseee you again."

"Matsuma." Raidon growled. "How dare you come back here after being banished!? You have no reason to be here."

"Sssssoooo, the young princesssss remember me." the demon smirked.

"How could they forget you?" Mika smirked cockily. "You're too damned ugly to forget." The snake demon's eyes flashed dangerously at the demoness, and his hand went to the hilt of his sword.

"You would do well to watch the tone of voiccccce you take with your execcccutioner, wencccch!" he hissed. "It'ssss not wissse to anger them sssooo."

"What do you want?" Kouga asked, drawing the attention back to himself.

"We want our homessss back." Matsuma said. "The very onessss your father took from usssss ssssso many years ago."

"You were banished for a reason." Kouga answered back fiercely. "You would not obey my father's rule, so you had to go." The snake demon smiled evilly and began to circle the three wolves, his eyes trained on Kagome.

"Your human ssseemssss quiet." he remarked dryly. "Quite the oppossssite of what I've been told about her."

"Who have you been talking about me to?" Kagome asked daringly, not exactly wanting to be brought into the fray.

"A lovely young woman by the name of Kikyou." he said simply. "The very one whom we helped to plan thissss little meeting."

"Where is that bitch!?" Mika growled. "I'll rip her throat out for destroying my home lands."

"Such uncouth language." came a cold, female voice from the tree's shadows. Kagome trained her eyes on the tree line, searching for the owner of the icy cold voice that she knew so well. _'Not now.'_ Kagome thought. _'Anytime but now.' _Kikyou stepped out of the shadows, a cynical smile on her lips. "Of course, I would expect nothing better from a mangy wolf bitch such as she."

"Kikyou?" Kagome frowned. "What are you doing here?"

"That is none of your concern." the older miko said, pulling an arrow from her quiver and knocking it.

"Where's dog-turd?" Kouga growled. "Is he in on this as ell?'

"Of course not." Kikyou said. "In fact, Inuyasha should be passed out right now, where ever he is. Not that it matters, you'll be dead soon enough."

"Why, you no good…" Kouga started.

"Matsuma!" Kikyou barked.

"Yessss, Mistressss?"

"Do what you mush with those three, just bring the human to me."

"Unharmed?" he asked.

"I don't care, as long as she's alive and conscious enough to feel pain." she said coldly. The snake demon smiled and raised his hand up, signaling to his followers.   
"You heard Mistress Kikyou." he hissed. "Bring the human to her. Kill the ressst." The snake demons hissed in anticipation and began walking and slithering forward, effectively surrounding the three wolf demons and Kagome.

"Kouga…" Kagome whimpered, clutching his armor. "What're we going to do? There is to many of them!"

"Mika!" Kouga barked angrily. "Grab Kagome and fly her out of here."

"Not going to work, Kouga." she hissed. "They've got archers in the trees. The second I take off, they'll turn us both into a pin cushion."

"Raidon, you have any ideas?" Kouga asked, knowing the answer already, an preparing himself for the battle royal that was about to commence.

"Not at the moment." his younger brother growled, baring his fangs at the oncoming onslaught of demon snakes. "There are at least seventy of these bastards, plus the miko. The only thing I can think of is we claw our way out."

"That's fine by me." Kouga growled. "But whatever happens, keep them away from Kagome, understand?"

"Gotcha." Raidon murmured.

"Not a problem." Mika answered, flexing her claws and eyeing the approaching demons.

"Kagome?" Kouga asked quietly, not taking his eyes off of the approaching demon snakes.

"Yeah, Kouga??" Kagome asked, trying to think of a way out of this.  
"We'll get you out of here, love. Don't worry." Kouga said. "If any of us make it out of here, it will be you." Kagome nodded, not really sure if she was going to walk away form this confrontation alive, and in one piece, despite Kouga's reassuring words…..

A/N - Okay people, how'd I do? I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. I should have the rest of the story typed up soon, and I'll post them just as soon as I do, cause I know some of you are eager to find out how this ends.

So, until then,

Later,

A.A.


	34. Chapter 34

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Disclaimer- It's not mine. Never was. All characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. 

Dodo- Thanks for the review. I'm glad you like the story so much. As for writing more Kagome/Kouga fics……I might. I'm not sure as of yet. 

Leucothea- Hot in L.A., huh? I believe you. The weather where I'm at is fluctuating like crazy! One minute it's hot, and the next it's cold. I don't know what's going on. Anyway, hope you like the chapter, and thanks for the review.

PrettyGirl18- The fluff is coming in the next chapter. I had to get rid of Kikyou first. So, don't worry, it will be there.

Airen2- I think they were referring to this chapter when they mentioned the gory stuff. Personally, I don't think it's that bad, but obviously they do. Anyhow, thanks for the review, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Tiger- Here you go. The next chapter just for you.

A/N- Okay, here's the next chapter. I hope everyone enjoys it. And we get to see exactly what happens to Kikyou in here. Hehehehe. Enjoy. (Oh, and this chapter is full of blood and fighting, so uh, sorry if no one likes that kind of stuff.)

Later,

A.A.

Chapter 34

As the snakes continued to circle the three wolf demons, Kagome began to get more agitated and scared. The first snake demon lashed out, swiping at Mika and hissing loudly. The rest of the demons, taking this as a signal to start their barrage, began to bore down on the wolves and the human girl. Kagome, stuck between the enormous half-dead, poisonous oak tree, and her three friends, only cringed as the wolf demons fought and fended off the monster snakes. Her blood was pumping and the adrenaline in her body told her to do something to help, anything at all. She watched as Kouga ripped apart one demon after another who was bent on bringing her to Kikyou. She could not see the wolf prince's face, but she had no doubt that his eyes were bleeding the crimson red color that preceded a full demon transformation she had seen in Inuyasha so many times during their battles in the search for the Shikon shards.

Mika and Raidon were battling as best they could against the intruders. Apparently, the snakes had thought to take the wolf demons on one at a time, but that quickly proved futile as Mika and her prince attacked the slithering snakes with barely controlled rage. As it so happened, one of the demon snakes Mika had ripped to shreds, and consequently now lay bleeding to death at her feet, had been carrying a bow and arrows. Kagome, in her adrenaline fueled fear, yanked the familiar weapons from the steaming, hissing corpse, and quickly knocked an arrow, shooting it over her friend's heads and right into an advancing wave of snakes. The arrow was true, and hit its mark, bringing one of the snakes to its knees in pain. Kagome grabbed another arrow right as the decapitated form of another snake flew into the tree right above her, smashing the bark and causing the tree to crack violently down the middle. Kagome stared in horror as the headless body slid down the tree, coating the bark with the steaming red blood of the snake. When it landed near her feet, Kagome backed away as the corpse began to shake from the nerves still in the body. But what caught her attention was the charred spots where the poison in the tree had come into contact with the flesh of the body. 

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'Of course!' she thought frantically, grabbing another arrow and coating the tip in the poison held within the tree. _'Poison tipped arrows!'_ She quickly knocked the arrow and sent it flying past Kouga's head and into the snakes perched in the trees. Once again, the arrow hit its mark, and the targeted snake demon fell to the ground with a blood curdling hiss as the skin around the embedded arrowhead began to char and peel off. The other archers, taking this as an insult, began firing their arrows relentlessly. Thankfully, since the snakes had bad eyesight, always relying on their hearing and dense of taste, they hardly hit their intended marks. Kagome continued to shoot the poisoned arrows, taking down as many as she could, and hoping this would be over with soon.

Meanwhile, Kouga was ripping through the snakes in front of him, using his brute force to keep then away from Kagome. To his immediate left, he could hear the snakes of his pack members, and the soft _'twang'_ of Kagome's bowstring as it sent the arrows flying past him, mixed in with the angry hisses of the snakes. At his feet lay at least twenty bodies of the foolish youkai that had tried to get past him and to Kagome. He grimaces as the momentary lapse in his concentration allowed one of the snakes to graze his shoulder with a sharp pike. He growled and quickly gripped the pike and immobilized the snake by cutting his head off. He had already received a number of superficial cuts and scratches, but nothing too serious, although the blood of snakes covered his entire body.

Raidon growled and snapped as another wave of youkai came forward, swords drawn. _ 'And obviously ready to die!!'_ he though angrily. As the snakes charged forth underneath the waves of ill aimed arrows fired by their comrades, he watched as Mika was cut badly by one of the swords being wielded by the snakes. The demoness' eyes flashed blood red as she grabbed the sword and violently impaled its owner on the blade. She'd had enough of this ridiculous fight, and Raidon could tell something was about to break inside the proud demoness. _'_

These bastards have desecrated my home, killed one of my brothers, and now scheme to kill my Lady and her pup!' Mika thought as her eyes turned completely crimson and stayed that way. _'They will pay for such insolence!!'_ The advancing wave of snake demons stopped to stare as the white haired demoness began to shift forms. Her face elongated, and her body grew. Her skin was being replaced by white fur that had been bloodstained during the scramble. In less than ten seconds, where there had once stood the fighting demoness, now stood an infuriated white wolf twice the size of a normal human.

Mika, almost completely out of control of her wolfish instincts, leapt into the crowd of snakes in front of her, breaking the protective barrier they had formed around Kagome. She was in a blood rage, and intended to kill the intruders who dared to trespass on her home lands and threaten her Lady.

Unfortunately, the distraction of the changing demoness was all that was needed for Matsuma. He broke rank and quickly positioned himself behind the tree Kagome was in front of. The fight between the wolves and his men had distracted Kouga enough for him to move unnoticed. He quickly capitalized off of this advantage, and reached around the tree, grabbing Kagome and jerking her to him.

"AHHHH! KOUGA!!" she yelled, dropping her bow and beginning to struggle as the snake demon slithered away. Her plaintive cry was enough to draw the wolf's attention away from the battle in front of him. When he turned to see what was wrong with Kagome, he saw her struggling to get out of Matsuma's iron grip. 

"KAGOME!!" he cried. The demons he had been battling used this distraction to their advantage once again, and quickly jumped the angered wolf prince, pinning him to the ground. Kagome watches as her friends were quickly being overrun by the snakes. She cried out and struggled harder against her captor, using the arrow she still clutched as a knife, she drove it into Matsuma's leg.

"Bitch!!" he hissed over the din of the battle. "You'll pay for that with your life!" 

"Let me go!!" Kagome screamed, thrashing about and driving the arrow deeper into the scaly leg. "Let me go!!! Leave me alone, you snake!!!!" the snake demon hissed in pain and pulled the arrow out of his leg, allowing Kagome to break his grip on her. 

"Lady Kikyou will just have to wait." he hissed. "I will kill you first!" The snake threw her to the ground and raised his sword. He had pinned her arms to her side, and she could do nothing but look up into the murderous green slit eyes of her soon to be executioner. She clenched her eyes shut, waiting for the death blow that would kill her and her child.

But it never came.

Kagome felt the swish as the youkai's sword came towards her, but a feral growl split the air and Kagome felt the weight of the demon fall off of her, and the _'thunk'_ as the snake's body hit the tree and fell to the ground. Kagome opened her eyes and found herself looking up to the crouched form of Lord Jiro standing in front of her, his auburn hair waving and his claws flexed in front of him. She shook her head to make sure she was not seeing things, but when she felt a pair of hands grip her shoulder and pull her to her feet, she knew she was not imagining things. Kagome quickly spun around, only to find Laniko's grim face.

"Kagome? Are you okay?" she asked quickly, watching as Jiro and Matsuma began to battle.

"I'm fine, but Kouga and the others are going to die if you don't do something to help them!" Kagome said vehemently.

"They'll be fine. But we've got to get you out of here before anything else happens to you! Let's go!!" she growled, slashing at a youkai that had tried to get to Kagome. Laniko pulled Kagome along the path to get her out of the middle of the fray. The demoness kept a sharp eye out for any more intruders, and stopped a few hundred feet into the woods where they could not be seen. Before she could catch her breath, Kagome heard the soft twang of a bowstring letting an arrow loose. She glanced up and saw the arrow flying straight for Laniko. Without thinking, Kagome grabbed the demoness and pushed her to the ground as the arrow flew right where her head would have been, embedding itself in a tree. The demoness picked herself up from the ground and turned to face the intruder.

"Who goes there?" she growled out, flexing her claws. Kikyou came out of the shadows of the trees, perched on a branch above them, an eerily calm countenance on her face.

"It is best for you to leave, she-wolf." Kikyou said calmly, eyeing the demoness with nothing but disgust on her face. "You have no concern here."

"What do you want, Kikyou?" Kagome yelled, her hand automatically going to her rounded belly as an unconscious effort to protect her child. "What's the point of this? Why are you doing this??!"

"I want your life." she stated calmly. "I want you to pay for what you've done to me."

"You won't touch her!" Laniko barked, baring her fangs as the priestess. "Over my dead body."

"That can be arranged." Kikyou said calmly, knocking an arrow and pulling the string taunt. "I have no qualms in killing you in order to get to her." 

"My son had chosen this girl as his mate. As such, she is under my family's protection." Laniko growled, stepping in front of Kagome.

"Very well, then. You've made you're choice." Kikyou said calmly. Kagome watched as the next few seconds seemed to go by in slow motion. The arrow flew from Kikyou's bow, glowing faintly with the stolen power of the Shikon jewel. Laniko had not been quick enough to dodge the arrow, and it lodged in the demoness' stomach, causing her to drop to her knees as the purification energy shot through her body, effectively purifying the demon blood that was present. Blood immediately began to stain the fur wrappings Laniko wore, and Kagome dropped to her knees, holding the demoness' head in her lap.

"Kikyou! You witch!!" Kagome bit out. "How could you do this? She's innocent!"

"The purifying power won't kill her, just disable her enough for Matsuma's soldiers to finish her off. You're the only one I want." Kikyou said, her voice eerily calm and emotionless as she jumped down from the branch of the tee and walked over to the squirming demoness in Kagome's lap. 

Laniko clutched her stomach and snarled at the older miko. She caught the faint rustle of the trees above her, and blinked as she thought she saw a flash of red pass overhead.

"What are you doing?" she questioned icily. "I can understand your anger towards Kagome, but why get my family involved in this? It makes no sense."

"It makes perfect sense." Kikyou answered. "I knew once Inuyasha had chosen me so many weeks ago, that Kouga would try to help my reincarnation because of his blind devotion to her. Unfortunately, when she came up pregnant, I had to alter my original plans for revenge. Originally, I only wanted her death as payment for the problems she'd caused by coming to this era in the first place. But when I found out she was with child, and with Inuyasha as the father, I knew I would not be able to rest until every trace of her was gone."

"What of Inuyasha?" Kagome growled, her anger rising by leaps and bounds. "Did you ever release him from that ridiculous spell you had put him under? Does he even know what you are doing?!"

"He was never really under any type of spell." Kikyou clarified, a maniacal grin on her face. "The seeds of doubt were already in his pathetic little mind. I just nourished then until he had convinced himself that his fears were in actuality real, and that no matter what he did to rectify his mistakes with me, you would never forgive him and take him back into your life." Kagome frowned and shook her head, not wanting to believe the girl that was supposed to be her incarnate. "I never had to use a spell on the simpleton. It was easy enough to manipulate him without it."

"Fine, but why poison our lands?" Laniko barked. "Even you should realize that seventy or so snake demons are not enough to take the lands back. Why bring them into this?"

"The poisoning of the land was only bait to drag my reincarnation here." Kikyou answered. "I planned my visits to the Yoshido couple to coincide with the visits your son had been taking up here. I heard him tell one of his followers that he was going to bring Kagome up here the next time, so I planned accordingly. Getting the snake youkai angry enough to want revenge was simple enough, considering their obvious resentment to the wolf demon family."

"You used them?" Kagome sneered. "Just like you used Inuyasha." Laniko grimaced and fell still, barely breathing. Kagome looked down at the demoness and tried to wake her. It was true that Kikyou's arrow had not been charged enough to kill Laniko instantly, but it was doing a considerable amount of damage.

"What is your point?" Kikyou asked, pulling an arrow from her quiver. "I got what I wanted, and now you will die." She raised the arrow up and pulled the string taunt, aiming it straight at Kagome's stomach. "See you in Hell!"

"I don't think so!" yelled Laniko, suddenly coming up from her hunched over position and swiping at the older miko, effectively catching her forearm and forcing the priestess to drop the arrow. "RUN KAGOME!!" she yelled. "GET OUT OF HERE NOW!!!" Kagome, now seeing that Laniko was indeed alive, got to her feet, running as fast as she could -considering she was five months pregnant- away from the angry Kikyou. 

Laniko watched as the girl ran as fast as she possibly could out of the forest. The demoness turned back to Kikyou and smirked painfully. The priestess' forearm had been cut deeply by her claws, but it obviously was not enough to deter her. Kikyou picked her bow up and swung it at a still injured Laniko, knocking her on her back. 

"I've had enough of you, wolf." Kikyou said icily. "You die now." Laniko looked up at the priestess and growled as she pulled another arrow and knocked it. "Defiant to the end, are you not?" she questioned. Kikyou pulled the bowstring taunt and released it, watching in morbid satisfaction as the sliver of wood buried itself in the demoness' chest. Kikyou watch, an evilly amused smile on her face as the she-wolf fell back and did not move again, her blood soaking through the already saturated fur wraps and pooling on the forest floor. "Stupid wolf." Kikyou kicked the unresponsive demoness and looked into the trees, trying to sense where Kagome had ran to. She quickly picked up the girl's trail and took off into the forest. _'She's nearly five months pregnant, and completely defenseless.'_ Kikyou thought cynically. _'She will not get far before I get to her.'_

Meanwhile, Kouga was fighting his way up form under the dog pile of snake youkai that had pinned him down. When he finally got up, he took off after the track Matsuma had taken into the woods, leaving Raidon and Mika to finish up the remaining snake demons. Before he got far, six snake demons dropped out of the forest canopy, blocking his way into the trees. Kouga snarled as his eyes burned crimson. He pulled the sword from the scabbard at his waist and slashed at the demons with a cut throat precision that could only have been matched by Sesshomauro. The demons fell to the ground in a pool of spurting blood, half their bodies in one direction, and the other half in the opposite direction. Once again, he took off in the direction Matsuma had taken, dead set on getting to Kagome. 

He quickly found his father, dead bodies surrounding the proud wolf Lord.

"Father!"

"Kouga!" Jiro said quickly, dead serious as he looked upon the angry, anguished face of his oldest son. "Laniko took Kagome into the forest to get her away from the battle. And Laniko has not returned yet. Moments ago, I caught the scent of Laniko's blood on the wind, and the smell of another female."

"Where did they go?" Kouga asked quickly. Jiro pointed west, into the forest, and shook his head. 

"We will both go. I need to find out what has caused Laniko to bleed so profusely. Her blood scent is saturated in the air." Kouga nodded, and took off beside his father. It was no time before the two male demons came across Laniko's battered, beaten, and bloodied body lying on the ground. 

"Laniko!" Jiro cried, going down to cradle his mate's pale face in his lap. "Laniko, wake up!" Kouga knelt down and quickly broke the arrows in her chest, pulling them out as carefully as possible.

"Are you okay, Lady?" Kouga asked, full of concern about his step-mother. Laniko, having regained some strength, frowned at the two of them, reverting to her sense of humor to try and lighten the mood around her mate and step-son

"You just pulled two arrows out of my chest, one of which was charged with miko purifying energy." she stated dryly, trying to sit up. "Do you think I feel alright?" Jiro picked her up and frowned. 

"I'm taking her to Cali's hut. It is not far from here." he said calmly. "Where did Kagome go, love?" Jiro asked, looking down at his mate.

"She took off into the woods." Laniko grimaced. "That witch Kikyou's after her. She's going to try to kill Kagome and the baby." Kouga growled, and Laniko put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Go get her, Kouga. Kikyou means to kill your mate and the child she carries. Stop her before two more lives are lost in this battle." 

"When you get her," Jiro said seriously, "bring her to Cali's hut. I'm afraid she might have hurt the child by witnessing the fight." Kouga nodded and took off towards the direction Laniko had pointed to, leaving his father to take care of Laniko. 

"Where are Raidon and Mika?" Laniko asked wearily, resting her head on her mate's shoulder. 

"They should be finished taking care of the rest of the snake demons." he said quickly, taking to the air. "I'm taking you to Cali." Laniko only nodded, letting him carry her to the hanyou's hut. _'Kouga, you better get to her in time to save her.'_ she thought tiredly. _'Because if I took these holes in me for no reason, Jiro's going to have to pull me off of your sorry hide…'_

Kagome ran as fast as she could into the forest, her adrenaline keeping her moving from the fear of her child getting hurt. She stumbled into a small clearing and looked around, taking a few moments to catch her breath. She could hear Kikyou behind her, swiftly catching up with her. She was completely exhausted and totally defenseless in her current state. Her legs gave out from pure exhaustion and she fell to the ground.

__

'Kouga and the others are still fighting, and Laniko isn't here, either.' she thought frantically, getting up from the ground. _'Oh, Kami, what am I going to do? I can't fight Kikyou like this!'_ It was only a few seconds later that Kikyou appeared at the edge of the clearing, her emotionless mask in place.

"Tired of running?" Kikyou asked, a cynical smile on her face as she walked into the clearing and closer towards the exhausted Kagome.

"What are you doing here, Kikyou?" she cried out. "What has my child done to you for you to want to kill it? It's completely innocent!!"

"Are you begging for your life?" Kikyou asked coldly. "I find that quite amusing."

"I'm begging you to leave my child alone." Kagome said simply. "He has done nothing to you."

"I can not allow that." Kikyou said. "In order for the child to live, so must you. Any ties you have ever had to that hanyou must be broken, and the child is one."

"This child is part of Inuyasha. You wouldn't take that away form him, would you?" Kagome asked, trying to find a way out of the precarious situation she was in. "Would you kill the child of the man you love?"

"I could not care less about that soft hearted hanyou." the older miko said as she pulled an arrow out and knocked it in her bow, then pulling the string taunt. "As far as I'm concerned, he has no part in this." Kagome backed up against a tree and shook her head.

"Kikyou……please….."

"It's too late for that." she said emotionlessly, taking aim at Kagome. "Your time in this world has expired. See you in Hell!!!" Kagome bowed her head as the tears began to fall again. She knew she was going to die now. Her energy gone, her friends being beaten, and her child's life forfeited all because she had given up her power form the Shikon jewel in order to bare the child she loved so much. 

"KAGOME!!!" came a panicked voice from her left. Kagome's eyes flew open and darted to the treetops where quick flashes of white and red caught her attention. _'Inuyasha!'_ Kikyou growled and turned her bow and arrow to the flashes, quickly releasing thee arrows in succession at the blurs. None of the arrows connected, mainly due to her fear at being caught by Inuyasha while trying to kill Kagome. She pulled another arrow and searched for the flashes that had stopped.

"What are you doing here, Inuyasha?!" Kikyou screamed. "This has nothing to do with you!" The white and red blur of Inuyasha was too quick for the priestess, and he knocked into as he jumped down from his hidden vantage point on a tree branch, causing her to drop the bow and send it flying away from the angered priestess.

"You…" he growled, grabbing her arm and pulling her up to him Kikyou noticed that his words seemed a little slurred, and she grinned. "You're the reason all this happened!" The anger in his eyes was terrifying, and Kagome seriously wondered if he was going to turn full demon and destroy both her and the child.

"Inuyasha…I didn't…..I never…" she stuttered, pulling herself out of his grasp.

"Shut up, Kikyou!" he growled. "I know the truth now. I heard everything."

"But, Inu…I didn't mean it…." Kikyou said, trying to convince him of her innocence. He frowned as his head began to swim, making everything around him seem like it was moving. He turned to Kagome, his eyes softening into genuine concern as he watched her shake like a leaf in autumn.

"Kagome, you okay?" he asked gently.

"I'm fine, Inuyasha." the girl answered shakily, noticing the difference in his voice as he slurred the simple question. Inuyasha nodded, and turned back to Kikyou. 

"How could you, Kikyou?" he asked more clearly, advancing on the girl. "How could you do this? You're a miko. You're not supposed to take life."

Kikyou glared up at him ad reached for the dagger she had hidden in her sleeve. She pulled it out and infused her weakening miko powers into the blade, slashing at Inuyasha. Inuyasha, still in a daze, dodged as best as he could, but Kagome noticed that his movements seemed sluggish.

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'He should be passed out by now, wherever he is.' Kikyou's words flitted through her mind as the hanyou contined to dodge the woman's attacks. 

"She's drugged him." Kagome whispered, realizing why his movements were so slow. Inuyasha finally managed to get a single hit in, and sent Kikyou to the ground in an ungraceful heap.

"This has got to stop." Inuyasha said. "You've got to stop this, Kikyou."

"I won't stop until I'm dead, or she's dead." Kikyou said, pointing to Kagome as she stood up and faced him once more. "Who is it going to be, Inuyasha? Me or her?"

"Her." he said seriously.

"What?" she screeched. "How could you turn your back on me? How could you betray me with my reincarnation?" Fortunately, Inuyasha was saved from having to answer due to the arrival of Kouga, and a still transformed Mika.

"Kagome!" Kouga cried, going to her side immediately. "Are you hurt? What's dog-turd doing here? Did he do this to you? I swear to Kami, I'll kill him if he laid one finger on you!"

"He saved me, Kouga." Kagome said, leaning on the wolf demon. "He stopped Kikyou from killing me and our baby. But something's wrong with him. He's acting strange and his words are slurring together!" Kouga glared at the hanyou, not picking up on the fact that Kagome had just referred to the child she carried as _'their'_ child, and not Inuyasha's. His attention was quickly drawn to the still transformed Mika, who stood growling and snarling not far from Kikyou and Inuyasha. '_Oh dear Kami, she's gonna tear that miko bitch to pieces.'_ Kouga thought as he watched Mika stalk towards the angry Kikyou, the wolf's eyes in a fury of revenge at having found the creature responsible for desecrating her homelands and trying to kill her Lady.

"Mika!" Kouga yelled, "Don't…." But it was too later for the miko. The raging wolf demoness had pounced on Kikyou, and thrown Inuyasha to the other side of the clearing with one swipe of her huge paw. The angry she-wolf knew that the inu-hanyou was not the one responsible for this mess, it was the woman in front of her. Kikyou struggled under the demoness' paws, screeching to be let go. Before the miko could charge up her remaining purifying powers, Mika growled and latched her jaws around the priestess' neck. The wolf demon jerked her head up, and everyone in the clearing heard a sickening _'crack'_ as Mika broke Kikyou's neck, killing the conniving woman once and for all.

As the blood continued to flow and coat the white fur of the demoness, Kouga pulled Kagome into his chest, shielding her eyes from the bloody mess Mika was creating. He could hear her strangled sobs as she finally let her fear overwhelm her, safe in Kouga's reassuring arms. 

Inuyasha, finally recovering from the trip across the clearing, staggered closer to where Kagome was before finally hitting the ground.

"Kikyou…." he said slowly, the drug finally taking a hold of him fully as he watched Kikyou's body being thrown around like a rag doll by the angered demoness. "Kagome...I'm sorry…." And with that final apology, Inuyasha crumpled to the ground, his energy completely spent.

Kouga held onto Kagome tightly as he watched the color drain from her face as she heard the sounds of the fight behind her. Mika on the other hand, seemed to calm down after literally draining Kikyou of the life giving blood. The wolf let go of the once dead (and now dead again) miko, and the air around her began to shimmer a silvery gray as she reverted back to her humanoid form. She too, collapsed to the ground as the adrenaline left her body and exhaustion set in. The blue eyed demoness took one look at Kikyou's mangled body and bowed her head, whispering only,

"Kami, forgive me..." as she passed out not far from Inuyasha. Kagome, sensing that the battle was over, quickly turned around and knelt down between the two fallen warriors, checking for pulses as a way to assure herself that they were indeed still alive. It was then that she once again broke down into uncontrollable sobs as Kouga pulled her away form the blood covered, unconscious warriors.

The wind whirled around them and Kouga looked up to see his younger brother in the clearing, blood running down his body and dripping into the saturated clearing ground.

"Kouga?" he said, running to his brother's side. "Is everyone okay?"

"Yes. Kikyou's dead, but everyone else is fine." Kouga answered seriously.  
"Where's father?"

"Gone to take Laniko to Cali's hut to have her checked out." Kouga answered, shifting Kagome in his arms. "I'm taking Kagome and Mika there as well." Kouga said, letting go of Kagome for only a split second in order to grip Mika and haul her up to his shoulder. He grabbed Kagome once again and was about to take off when Kagome stopped him.

"Kouga…" she asked, sniffling and looking down to the fallen Inuyasha. "Bring Inuyasha as well, please?"

"Are you crazy!" Raidon squawked. "After what we just went through, and you want to help that bastard dog?!"

"He stopped her from killing me." Kagome said tiredly. "There's something wrong with him, or he wouldn't be passed out right now."

"Fine." Kouga relented unhappily. "Raidon, grab the hanyou and come on. Cali can check him over, and then he's got some explaining to do." Raidon grumbled, but grabbed the unconscious form of Inuyasha and threw him on his shoulder, taking off after his older brother, and leaving Kikyou's beaten and bloodied body in the clearing.

They arrived at Cali's hut not too long after Jiro had arrived with Laniko. Kouga heard the dragon hanyou bustling around the inside of the hut long before he ever got there. His father met him at the doorway, motioning for Kouga to put the two women on cots that Cali had already set up. Kouga released Mika and placed her on a cot, but refused to let Kagome go. Cali, hearing the cries from Kagome, looked up from her bandaging of Laniko's body and frowned, her reptilian eyes cloudy with emotions, mostly anger.

"Kagome was in the fray also?" she asked quickly. Kouga nodded at the hanyou and frowned. 

"She was the one they were after, but I don't think she' s injured physically." he said. Cali nodded and quickly finished bandaging Laniko. She grabbed a small kettle of water and placed it on the hearth to be warmed, while Kouga finally got Kagome calmed down.

"What are you doing?" Raidon asked. "This is no time to be cooking!"

"Silence, you insolent little whelp!" Cali barked, glaring at the younger brother. "I know what I'm doing. The best thing you can do is get something and clean yourself up so I can see what damage has been done." Raidon flinched at the coldness and disrespect in the hanyou's voice. The tension was running high in the hut, and it seemed as though it was hitting Raidon the hardest.

"How dare you speak to me like that, you half-breed!" Raidon growled, his adrenaline beginning to flow again at the insult. Cali looked over at him, her fangs bared and her wings beginning to unfurl around her.

"If you don't want to be purified, I suggest you back down, wolf prince." she growled. "You forget what I am capable of." Raidon backed down as Jiro shot him a warning glare from the other side of the room. Raidon backed down and continued to watch the hanyou as she went about her business. "If the girl was privy to the fight," Cali explained simply, "she could very well loosed her child due to the shock. She needs to calm down before she injures herself or her child any further." Cali poured the now steaming water over a combination of different herbs, making a form of hot tea. She walked over to where Kagome was curled up on Kouga's lap and gently touched the girl's shoulder.

"Lady?" she asked gently, her tone less severe and more coaxing, but just as insistent. Kagome turned her bleary eyes to the dragon hanyou and hiccupped.

"Cali?" Kagome asked, recognizing the demoness' face almost instantly.

"Yes, Lady, it is I." she said.

"How is everyone?" Kagome asked quickly. "Where is Laniko? What about Inuyasha? Is Mika okay?" 

"Kagome, listen to me carefully." Cali said, catching the girl's head and forcing her still. "Laniko is fine, as I'm sure the others will be. You on the other hand, need to drink this and calm down before your body goes crazy from shock and tries to abort the baby." Kagome nodded and took the tea, quickly gulping it down in one mouthful, effectively burning her tongue and scalding her throat.

"How long before it takes effect?" Kouga asked, taking the cup from Kagome's hands and putting it on the floor next to him.

"It will work quicker if she were asleep." Cali said, looking straight at Kouga and nodding towards Kagome. Kouga nodded in understanding.

"I couldn't sleep if I tried." Kagome said absently, looking over at Inuyasha's unconscious body. Kouga placed his hands on Kagome's shoulders, massaging the muscles to try and make her relax. Kagome took the contact unthreatening, so when Kouga's hand rest on her neck, she thought nothing of it, lost in her own thoughts.

Kouga quickly pressed the pressure point on her neck, holding it till Kagome's body went limp and fell into him, the only visible motion coming as her chest fell and rose steadily in even breaths.

"I'm sorry, love." he muttered, placing her on the pallet next to Inuyasha and Mika.

"She's only going to stay out for a few hours." Raidon muttered as Cali turned her attention to his own wounds.

"That'll be long enough for her system to relax." Cali said, wiping the demon blood off of the younger prince, their momentary quarrel earlier completely forgotten. Jiro nodded and grabbed another skin to clean himself up. His and his son's wounds were already beginning to heal, but they still needed to be leaned to prevent infection.

The entire group fell into silence as Cali checked over the wolf royalty, the turned her attention to Inuyasha and Mika. After checking them over, she concluded that Mika was just exhausted, and Inuyasha had indeed been drugged, causing him to fall into a deep slumber.

"There's nothing we can do until they all wake up." Cali sighed, taking a skin and wiping the grime off of her hands when she finished her ministrations.

"How long?" Jiro and Kouga asked simultaneously, referring to the unconscious women.

"A few hours at the latest, and all four of them should be back up." she said, taking the bowls of dirty water to go dump out. She stepped out of the hut, leaving Jiro and his sons with the still forms of Laniko, Mika, Inuyasha, and Kagome.

"We need to report back to the dens." Kouga said absently. "They are going to be wondering where we are."

"They can wait." Jiro said forcefully, looking down at his fallen mate's ashen face and clutching her hand in desperation. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I'll go." Raidon said. "There's nothing I can do here." Jiro nodded, turning his attention back to Laniko. Raidon excused himself and took off as soon as he was outside. He knew his brother and father would not move until Laniko and Kagome woke up. It was the way things worked with most demon males. If something had happened to their partners, the males would stay by their side until they either got better or died, usually forgoing food for days at a time in their silent watch over their mates. The females were the same, if their mate was injured. It was a sort of bond that grew when the males finally marked their mates. But what confused him was Kouga and Kagome. He knew his brother had not marked the human girl, and would not even try until the child she carried was born. _'Then why is he acting like her mate?' _ he wondered. _'I don't understand it, but as far as I'm concerned, after today, Kagome will always be the only one for Kouga, even with the hanyou back in the picture.'_

Kouga only shook his head and sat next to Kagome as his mind whiled out of control with the events of the day.

__

'Why?' he though angrily. _'Why did all this have to happen? But more importantly, why did god-breath come to help her? I figured the bastard dog would side with Kikyou. What changed his mind? Does he still love Kagome, even after all the Hell he's put her through? Kami, please don't do this to me. Please don't take Kagome away from me again……'_

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A/N - Okay how'd it go? I hope you guys enjoyed this little chapter. 

Well, now that Inuyasha's back in the picture, and knows why Kikyou done what she done, what do you think is going to happen? Is he going to continue avoiding Kagome and only spying on her at the den until the child is born. Or, is he going to try and reconcile with Kagome?

Hmmmm…well, you'll find out soon. So don't worry too much.

Later,

A.A.

Oh, and remember to review. I want to know what ya'll think.


	35. Chapter 35

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Disclaimer - It's not mine. Never was. Don't you people know this by now?

A/N- Well, this story is about to be winding down. I hope you guys are enjoying the story. I have some thank you's to give out. So I'll get started immediately.

Tirya King- It's okay, I'm in the majority with my friends about liking Kouga as well. (Some people are just so closed minded.) I'm glad you liked the other characters. I wasn't too sure how well I was going to be able to pull their personalities off. As for the fluff……coming right up. 

Of Memories Past- He is going to redeem himself shortly. And he's not going to be all alone. I mean, but I'm not that mean. ;)

Bikutoria- I don't know how to thank you for giving me such helpful reviews. I'm so glad that you like the story---I like the picture of Kouga you have on your bio page even more! Thank you so much, and I hope I don't disappoint you any time soon. Thanks again. 

Chapter 35

The next few hours were torture for the two wolf demons as they watched over their chosen charges. Cali had predicted that Laniko and Mika would awaken before any of the others due to the demon blood that allowed them to heal so much quicker. Inuyasha would more than likely come after that, and then Kagome. Unsurprisingly, the dragon hanyou had been correct, and the moment Laniko had shown the remotest signs of stirring from her slumber, Jiro had started fidgeting like a new born pup. When the Lady of the Eastern Lands had actually opened her eyes to look around the room, Kouga had never seen his father with a more relieved look on his face. Mika, on the other hand, seemed distant and withdrawn when she finally woke. Kouga had assumed that her memories of tearing Kikyou apart had come back to her. 

Unlike when Inuyasha changed into a full demon, demons who were born full blooded retained their memories after changing. Granted, the only thing they often times got were flash backs and still pictures of what they had done, but it was better than being completely in the dark. And Kouga knew that Mika, a demoness who tried to avoid killing unnecessarily, was having a hard time coming to grips with the fact that she had turned Kikyou into nothing more than a chew toy for an angry wolf. Normally, a demon wolf would make a quick, somewhat painless kill, but he knew Mika remembered desecrating the body beyond repair in her fury to avenge her brother and fellow pack members. Leaving Kagome on her own for a few moments, the wolf prince went to his pack mate to see if he could help her out any.

"Mika?" he asked, looking down at her distraught face. "Are you feeling any better now?" The white haired demoness looked up at him and nodded, grimacing slightly.

"I'm fine, my Lord." she said simply. "I'm just trying to piece together everything that happened earlier."

"Do you remember anything?" Kouga asked, knowing that she had probably not put everything together yet.

"Just bits and pieces." she answered warily. "My most vivid memory was of the miko in the clearing. After that, I don't……remember….much more." Kouga nodded, understanding the feeling of loss at not remembering what had happened. That was the only reason he had kept his own transformation in check earlier. He knew that with so much blood around him and the heated pressure of a battle, his common sense would have been overridden by his wolfish instincts to kill the intruders, and he possibly would have left Kagome's side in his rush to get rid of the snake demons. 

"You done the right thing, Mika." he reassured her, placing a hand on her shoulder for comfort. "The miko is no longer in this world. You have exacted your revenge for your brother, and protected your homelands as you should have. You done nothing wrong." 

"Thank you, Lord Kouga." she said, looking up at him and nodding. "How is Lady Kagome and the others? And why is the inu-hanyou here?"

"Laniko is awake, but Kagome and dog-turd are still out cold." he replied with a shrug, looking back over his shoulder. "Raidon left earlier to report back to the packs so that they know what happened."

"And the hanyou?" she asked, eyeing the prone form of Inuyasha next to Kagome. "What about him? Wasn't he in the middle of the attack, right next to the miko?"

"Kagome asked to bring him." Kouga growled. "Apparently, he kept Kikyou from killing her and the baby. From what I've gathered, it seems like he is actually innocent. But until I find out what the hell happened, I'm reserving my right to pass judgment on his sorry hide." Mika understood her Lord's reluctance to trust the hanyou, and she did not blame him one bit.

"Kouga?" called Jiro from the other side of the room. 

"Yes, father?" Kouga answered, turning his attention to his father and step-mother.

"Laniko and I are leaving to go back to the packs now that she is awake." he said, picking up his mate. "I would suggest that you come with us as well, Mika."

"Yes, my Lord." the demoness answered, standing to her feet. Kouga nodded and waited for them to leave, but apparently Laniko had something else to say to him now that she was awake.

"Put me down, Jiro." the demoness said. "I'm tired, not an invalid."

"You need to rest." he growled, gripping her tightly.

"I need to speak with my son!" she growled angrily. "Now put me down!" Jiro frowned in displeasure, but put her down none the less. It took a second or two with Jiro steadying her before the demoness regained her orientation and could stand on her own feet.

"Make it quick." he reminded her. Laniko nodded and turned to Kouga.

"I'll meet you two outside in a few moments." Laniko said to Mika. Jiro and the other demoness left out of the hut, as well as Cali. Turning to the still unconscious forms of Kagome and Inuyasha, she grimaced and shook her head.

"When she awakens," she said softly, "tell her that we await your arrival at the den."

"I am not so sure she will come back with me, now that he's back in the picture." Kouga grumbled, staring back at Inuyasha and wishing he could just kill him and get it over with. Laniko, sensing his internal struggle, gave him a sardonic smile and shook her head. 

"Don't jump to conclusions, my son." she said. Kouga frowned, pulling away from her to kneel down by Kagome.

"Don't call me that." he growled. "You're not my mother." Laniko gave a sad smile and stepped back, biting her lip in nervousness. She knew Kouga had been close to his mother, and she had not meant to imply that she was trying to take the woman's place. She just wanted to lift his spirits up a little, not make him angry at her.

"I know that, Kouga." she said slowly. "But just because we have no blood ties, does not mean I don't care for you as my own son. Bonds of love are often times many times stronger than any blood ties. Remember that, especially when those two wake up. Although Kagome has been bonded with Inuyasha through the child she carriers, her feelings for you and our family are not as feeble and weak as you suddenly seem to think." Kouga hung his head in shame as her soft, kind hearted words hit home. He knew she was not his mother, but she treated him like her own child, and he was being stubborn and heard headed. 

"Forgive me, Laniko." he said quietly. "I was out of line. I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize, Kouga." she answered, running her fingers through his hair, trying to console him a little. "Just promise me that you do not judge the hanyou too harshly. I know what he has done, and now that I know the part Kikyou played in it, I don't consider him as bad as I once did. Inuyasha would not have helped Kagome if he did not care about her. Just remember that she loved him at one time, the way she loves you."

"I'll remember that, Laniko. Thank you." he said, looking at her and nodding. Laniko smiled and headed out of the door to meet Jiro and Mika, leaving Kouga to wait for Kagome and Inuyasha to waken. Kouga wanted to speak with Inuyasha before Kagome woke up, and he was afraid it might get a little heated. Fortunately, he did not have to wait long, because Inuyasha began to stir from his semi-coma a few minutes after Jiro and the other two females had left. 

"Ahhh...my head." he groaned, sitting up from his position next to Kagome and rubbing his head. "What the hell happened? Where the hell am I? And what the fuck is wrong with Kagome!?" Kouga snickered as the panic on Inuyasha's face made him forget his own ailments momentarily.

"You're at the home of a friend of mine." Kouga said tersely, drawing the hanyou's attention to himself. 

"Kouga?!!" Inuyasha exclaimed, immediately on guard. Inuyasha had not noticed the wolf demon off to the side when he awoke. "What the hell are you doing here? And what's wrong with Kagome?"

"Calm down dog-boy, and come with me." Kouga said, loosing his patience with the dog demon. He stood up to go outside, expecting Inuyasha to follow him.

"I'm not going any damn where." the hanyou said stubbornly. "Not until you tell me what's wrong with Kagome and she wakes up." Kouga growled and turned back to the half demon, ready to rip his throat out for being so hard to deal with, but Cali beat him to the punch as she came back into the hut.

"The Lady Kagome is resting, and I will not allow you two to disturb her." came the dragon woman's strident voice as she stood beside Kouga. "So if you two are going to fight and argue, then take it outside. I'll watch over Lady Kagome until you two sort out whatever differences you have. Now get out." Kouga nodded and turned to leave again, but Inuyasha only looked affronted and insulted, still refusing to go anywhere.

"Who do you think you are, talking to me like that?" Inuyasha growled. Cali glared at the hanyou and frowned.

"You, Inuyasha, have caused enough trouble to this poor girl." she said icily, gesturing towards Kagome. "And unless you remove yourself from Kagome, and let her rest, I'll purify you so fast you'll wish Sesshomauro were here to save you!" Inuyasha blinked owlishly at the venom in her voice. "Besides, I think Lord Kouga would like to speak with you outside."

"Kagome will be fine, dog-breath. I wouldn't have brought her here if I didn't completely trust Cali." Kouga growled. "I'm not going to put her in danger."

"What the fuck do you call what happened earlier? A walk in the woods?" Inuyasha yelled violently. "You and the rest of those mangy wolves plunked her right down in the middle of those damned dying lands! And you call that keeping her out of danger!"

"I didn't know!" Kouga yelled, his temper rising the more Inuyasha talked. "How was I supposed to know that bitch of yours was…."

"OUTSIDE!" Cali said violently. "If you wake her up, there is going to be hell to pay! Now get out!" Kouga and Inuyasha glared at each other some more before they finally made it outside. The tension between the two proud demons was thick, and it was smothering them. When they finally got outside the hut and a safe ways away, Inuyasha turned to Kouga and growled.

"How long has she been asleep?" he asked.

"Since we brought you all here, a few hours ago." Kouga said. "She woke up once, but Cali gave her something to put her back to sleep, and her body at rest."

"And the child?" Inuyasha queried.

"We can't tell anything right now." Kouga said wearily. "Cali will be able to tell something when she wakes up. I don't see why you would care anyway. Although I guess you should know that she runs the risk of loosing the child because of everything she was put through today." Inuyasha said nothing, just hopped up into a tree and stared ahead, trying to get his mind settled and cleared.

"I'm not finished with you yet." Kouga barked. "Get back down here."

"What the hell do you want?" Inuyasha asked, not feeling like fighting with the wolf demon when he knew Kagome was unconscious.

"Answers." Kouga said firmly.

"To what?"

"How'd you just so happen to pop up in time to help Kagome earlier today? The miko bitch Kikyou said you should have been passed out somewhere." Kouga asked, watching the hanyou carefully for any signs of a lie. "In fact, how'd you even know where Kagome was if you did not know what was going on?"

"The sentries around your den have big mouths." Inuyasha said simply, remembering the conversation he had overheard between Ginta and Hakkaku. "And they don't pay much attention to their surroundings when they're half asleep for that matter, either."

"You were at my den?" Kouga growled, ready for a fight that was undoubtedly about to come. "For what?"

"To check on Kagome." he said tersely.

"You've got some nerve, spying on her like that." Kouga snarled. He was flexing his claws, trying to curb the little voice in his head telling him to rip the dog demon's head off.

"And you've got some shitty sentries." Inuyasha said simply. 

"So you heard Kagome was up here with us?" Kouga asked, realizing that he was going to have to drag the answers he wanted out of Inuyasha, if he did not decide to kill him first. "How'd she know when to plan the attack?"

"Kikyou'd left early this morning to go to the Yoshidos." Inuyasha growled out, not wanting to tell the blasted wolf anything else.

"How'd you know?" Kouga asked again. "That doesn't answer my question."

"Are you going to leave me alone if I tell you?" Inuyasha asked. "I got there in time. That's all that matters." 

"No it's not." Kouga growled. "Kagome's in there, on the verge of loosing my pup, and I want answers!"

"The child isn't yours." Inuyasha hissed, his eyes starting to bleed red.

"You were there to conceive the child." Kouga snarled. "Nothing else. You turned your back on Kagome and the child, giving up all rights to them both to go with that bitch Kikyou, so the child sure as all hell isn't yours either!"

"You were waiting for this day, weren't you, wolf?" Inuyasha asked, his anger starting to get out of control at the mention of loosing Kagome. "You were waiting for the day Kagome would turn her back on me for some reason, and then you'd step right in and take my place. I bet you're just loving this right now, aren't you?" Kouga rolled his eyes and shook his head. 

What the hanyou had just said did hold a sliver of truth in it. It was his fault that Kagome found out about Inuyasha's relationship with Kikyou before anyone else. And he had helped her get through the betrayal, but Inuyasha was making it sound like it was _his _ fault Kagome was lying in the bed in there, almost dead.

"Kagome came to me out of respect and friendship." Kouga answered. "Just because you were the one that caused her so much pain, don't blame it on me! I was helping her. Now how did you know Kikyou was up here?" Inuyasha growled and told his tale of how the pieces had finally fell into place early that morning. He told Kouga that he had found Kikyou and her weapons gone that morning, but her herbal remedies were still at their home. He hadn't really given that much thought to it, and decided to use the spare time to go check up on Kagome. He had grabbed some food off of the table and left, not noticing that it had been laced with some form of sleeping drug. When he had gotten to the wolf den, he'd heard Ginta and Hakkaku speaking about Kagome going to the dying lands, and the Yoshidos being dead for weeks now. He had also started to feel the effects of the drug in his body, but thankfully he had not eaten enough of the rice cakes to put himself completely asleep. Everything began falling into place then. Kikyou's night time ramblings, the numerous disappearances, and the stench of demons around the village when he'd went to find her a few times. 

"That's how I knew something was wrong." Inuyasha said. "I got there not long after Kikyou'd put that arrow through the demoness protecting Kagome."

"Then you know what Kikyou's true intentions were?" Kouga questioned. "You knew that you were played for a fool by the dead miko." Inuyasha growled and put his hand on Tetsusaiga, ready to draw it out if Kouga kept running his mouth. Inuyasha knew he'd been played for a fool. He did not need the damn wolf rubbing it in his face.

"Where's her body?" Inuyasha asked.

"Whose body?"

"Kikyou's."

"In the clearing, just where Mika left it." Kouga said with a shrug. "Although I doubt it's very recognizable by now. Mika did a quite thorough job when she got a hold of her." The white haired hanyou nodded and figured he would go see if there was anything left of Kikyou that could be buried. Even after everything she'd done, he still felt a responsibility to put her to rest for good this time.

"Tell Kagome that I need to speak with her." Inuyasha said, jumping up onto the branch of a nearby tree.

"Where do you think you're going?" Kouga asked. "You want to talk to her, then wait until she wakes up. I'm not your messenger boy."

"I've got some things to do." the hanyou said firmly.

"What about Kagome?" he asked. "You turning your back on her again? Leaving her again to run away?"

"I'm not running."

"You're just leaving again." Kouga prodded.

"I'll be back soon." Inuyasha said. "I need to talk to her."

"She won't be here when you get back." Kouga said. Inuyasha stiffened and looked down at the wolf demon from his perch on a tree limb. 

"What?" he asked, wanting to make sure he heard correctly.

"I'm taking her back to the den to finish healing just as soon as she wakes up." Kouga said.

"I need to talk to her." Inuyasha said. "There are some things we need to sort out about this mess. Stuff that sure as hell does not concern you."

"Then you had better say it while she's here." Kouga growled. "Because she won't be leaving my sight after this."

"Bold talk from a mangy wolf." Inuyasha said. "You can't cage her."

"I mean it, dog-breath…"

"That's enough, the both of you." came a soft voice from Cali's hut. The two males turned around to see Kagome standing outside the door with Cali at her side. "Arguing is not going to solve anything now. What's done is done. So stop it already."

"Kagome." the two demons said simultaneously, surprised to see her up and going so soon. Kouga went to her side and hugged her gently, leaving Inuyasha perched in the tree, watching them.

"Are you okay, love?" Kouga asked, his face full of concern. "Are you feeling well enough to be out?"

"I'm fine, Kouga." Kagome said, taking strength from his concerned embrace. "Where is Inuyasha? I need to speak with him."

"I'm……here……Kagome." Inuyasha said quietly, dropping down from the tree branch and looking at Kagome. The young woman gave a small smile and broke away from Kouga's embrace, going to walk to Inuyasha. Kouga growled and put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Kagome…" he questioned.

"I'm not going anywhere, Kouga." she said, giving him a small smile. Kouga retracted his hand and Kagome nodded, silently thanking him. She walked over to the dejected hanyou and waited silently for some form of acknowledgement.

"Inuyasha? Inuyasha, look at me." she said gently, waiting to see the big amber eyes she had loved so much at one time.

"Kagome, I'm…..sorry." he said quietly. "If I'd have known, I would have done something to stop her. I didn't want you to get hurt." Kagome shook her head and forced back the tears that were threatening to spill. She knew that Inuyasha was innocent, at least as far as the attack on her and the wolves. She was still hurt and angry with him for leaving her to begin with, but the ache had lessened in the past few months. And now, instead of the rush of hurt feelings that at one time threatened to overwhelm her when she thought about him, she felt only a small jag of pain in her chest. Kagome shook her head and placed a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

"You did not know, Inuyasha." she said quietly. "The attack was not your fault."

"I'm sorry, Kagome." he said again, cautiously placing a hand on her rounded stomach. "You and this little guy almost died because of me. This is all my fault."

"I won't deny that you're not innocent." Kagome said quietly, sighing in nervousness at being around him again after so long. "But you were not the only one in this problem. Kikyou was to blame as well."

"Kikyou……" Inuyasha muttered sadly, shaking his head. "Kagome I know it's too late to say anything that will change your mind, but I do need to talk to you about some things."

"I'll be at Kouga's den." Kagome said quietly. "Whenever you are ready to talk, just come see me."

"Lot of good that will do." Inuyasha muttered. "I'll have to fight my way in tooth and nail. Those wolves hate me."

"Kouga?" Kagome called out behind her, walking back over to the wolf prince. "Will you let him come? Will you give him safe passage into and out of the tribe so we can talk?" Kouga frowned at the idea of having Inuyasha so close to his den and Kagome.

"I won't deny he's the main reason for this, and that you two need to work out your problems." Kouga ground out.

"Then you'll let him have safe passage?" Kagome asked, her eyes lighting up happily as she hugged him tightly. "Please, Kouga. Kikyou is gone, and we have some things to work through."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Kagome, letting him come to the den." Kouga said firmly. "We can't trust him after this." Kagome's temper flared and she pulled away from him.

"Inuyasha and I have to work this out, Kouga." she said, her voice full of steel. "And if you won't allow him to come to me without getting tore to pieces, then I'll go to him."

"Kagome...please…don't worry about it." Inuyasha said, trying to placate her temper. Kouga looked absolutely stunned and somewhat hurt that she seemed to be taking Inuyasha's side over his in this matter.

"I don't want to turn my back on you and the pack, Kouga." Kagome said, completely serious. "I love you guys. But you're not locking me in the den just because Inuyasha is back." Kouga took a step back, obviously hurt by her words. Kagome noticed the look on his face, and quickly tried to rectify her mistake when she realized that she had just defended the one person Kouga could not stand. She wrapped her arms around him again and hugged him tightly. She felt Kouga hesitantly put his arms around her waist and hug her. "I'm not going anywhere, Kouga." she whispered. "If that's what you're worried about. Inuyasha and I have some things to settle, before anything else can happen to either of us."

"He's going to take you from me." Kouga whispered sadly, holding her tighter. "Kagome, please…don't leave me now." Kagome lifted her head and looked at the distraught demon prince.

"He's not going to take me anywhere, love." she said softly, pushing a piece of his black hair that had escaped the headband back out of his face. "Don't you trust me, Kouga?"

"Of course I do." he murmured. "It's him I don't trust."

"You never did." Inuyasha muttered darkly

"Exactly, so why should I start now?" Kouga grumbled, letting her go reluctantly. "Be careful." Kagome smiled as she stepped back, giving him a wink.

"I'm always careful." she said with a smile. Kouga just shook her head. "Just give me a few minutes, and I'll be back. Kouga nodded and stepped back so that they could have some privacy.

"If he doesn't want to talk now, tell him he has passage to the main den when he wants to talk to you." Kouga conceded. "I don't want you to leave and not come back from Kaede's because of my stubbornness. And I don't want you to think that you're being caged." Kagome smiled, grateful that he had relented to give Inuyasha safe passage. 

She knew the hanyou was hurting right now. She had traveled with him long enough to realize when he was truly hurting inside, and she wanted to help him feel a little better. 

Inuyasha's instincts were in a furious battle, knowing the confrontation that was to come. A part of him wanted to run away from what he'd caused. Another part wanted to stay and care for the little life he'd sensed in Kagome, as well as take care of the mother. And still another, more instinctual part of him, said to get rid of Kouga, and take Kagome back with him. His inner turmoil distracted him from the fact that Kagome was now standing in front of him, trying to get his attention, but he could not look at her. Could not face the anger he knew would be on her beautiful face.

"Inuyasha? Inuyasha, are you alright?" she asked, her voice full of concern.

"I should be asking you that." he said quietly, refusing to look at her.

"Inuyasha, look at me." she said pointedly.

"I can't." 

"You can, and you are." she said forcefully, putting her hand on his cheek and turning his head so that his amber eyes met her own. She could see the tidal wave of emotions behind those soulful eyes she had gotten lost in on more than one occasion. "Inuyasha, listen to me carefully."

"Kagome…just let me get out of here before I mess anything else up." he said sadly.

"No. You're going to hear me out." she said simply.

"I need to go. Kouga's aching to get a hold of me as it is. And you don't need to be around another fight today." Inuyasha countered, trying to make her see reason.

"He's just angry, Inuyasha. And right now, he can get over it, as far as I'm concerned." she said. "Now quit being stubborn before I make you eat dirt." Inuyasha brightened a little at the familiar threat to subdue him.

"Just try it, Kagome." he mocked. "How you gonna do it? Jump on me?" Kagome seemed a little perturbed, and seriously considered uttering the dreaded word before she realized that she had taken the subduing necklace off months ago.

"Humph. You're just lucky I too it off of you." she muttered, giving him a half smile. "Look, Inuyasha……I know you want to figure some of this stuff out on your own before we talk about anything that's happened. Kouga's granted you safe passage to the den anytime you want to talk to me." She laughed at the familiar indigent pose he had taken. "Although I have a distinct feeling you could care less about his permission."

"Damn straight!" he muttered. "I've been keeping tabs on you since you moved in with the mangy wolf, and he didn't know it. Why should I worry about his 'permission' now?"

"Because now you don't have to sit in the trees and hide from me." she pointed out, smiling at him. They were slowly starting to slip back into their old bantering ways, which made them feel a little bit better at the most.

"Feh." he said, glancing at the overly agitated wolf demon near Cali's hut. Kagome's slight laugh broke the staring contest between the two males. "What?" he muttered.

"Well, now I know things are on their way to getting better." she answered. Inuyasha could not help but smile and nod. He did feel better, knowing that she was safe, but there was still that lingering doubt in his mind.

"Kami, Kagome, I don't know what to say to you." he mumbled. Kagome nodded and hugged him tightly, surprising the hell out of him, and getting a warning growl from Kouga.

"Tell me that you'll come back later so we can fix some of this." she said. "Now that we both know the truth, I think we can work something out." Inuyasha carefully put his arms around her and took in the different contours her body due to the pregnancy. Inuyasha closed his eyes and just held her. He knew Kagome was trying to make him feel better, and he was glad that she made the effort. Right now, he felt like the scum of the Earth his brother usually classified him as. When he'd heard what Kikyou had said in the heat of battle, his heart had been ripped out, realizing that Kikyou had used him to hurt Kagome; much like Naraku had used Kikyou to hurt him so many years ago. It was then that he realized, even in his drugged state of mind, that Kikyou was seriously going to kill Kagome and the child she carried.

"I'll come back, Kagome." he said quietly, holding her carefully. "There's just some thing I need to fix right now. To be perfectly honest, you were always with me. As soon as I realized the mistake I'd made with Kikyou, I knew you'd never forgive me. But I still thought about you all the time. In my heart, I'd never really, truly left you, Kagome."

"I understand." Kagome said, nodding at him as she let go. "Take care of yourself, Inuyasha." The hanyou nodded and looked up as Kouga began walking towards them, a scowl on his face.

"He's coming." Inuyasha muttered under his breath. Kagome rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Kouga! Take one more step and you're going to catch so much hell, you'll wish it was your father breathing down your neck, and not me." she said loudly, still facing Inuyasha, her back to the approaching wolf prince. Inuyasha almost burst out laughing at the face Kouga made as Kagome berated him. "Kouga, I'm perfectly fine. Now do me a favor and go back into Cali's hut. I'll be there in a minute."

"Kagome…" Kouga said, eyeing her back and Inuyasha's amused face.

"I'll be there in a second, Kouga." she said. "I don't want another fight between you two, so give me a few more minutes, please?" Kouga, much to Inuyasha's surprise, only glared at him then turned to go back into the hut, muttering under his breath. Kagome waited until she heard the flap of the entrance fall into place before smiling up at Inuyasha's amused face. 

"Sometimes I wish he was the one with a subduing spell on him." she muttered. Inuyasha laughed and shook his head. It amazed him to see the proud wolf demon following every command, order or request Kagome gave him without complaint.

"Seems like he listens well enough." Inuyasha said. Kagome grinned and patted his shoulder.

"He doesn't listen as well as he should, at times." she grinned, laughing with him. Inuyasha looked up to the dying tree tops and shook his head.

"Take care of yourself, Kagome." he said. "I'll be back in a few days to check on you and the little guy, if you don't mind, of course."

"Take your time." she answered. "You know where I will be at." About that time, the baby decided to wake up, and he gave Kagome a swift kick that made her place her hand on her stomach and wince. Inuyasha noticed the difference immediately, and put his hand over Kagome's as a reflex, his other hand coming to rest on the small of her back.

"Are you okay? Kagome, what's wrong?" he asked frantically, seriously considering calling Kouga out of the hut to find out what was wrong. "Kagome, talk to me, damn it!"

"I'm fine, Inuyasha." she said. "The baby's just kicking and squirming now that I've woke up."

"It's moving?" Inuyasha asked, seemingly astounded by the concept. "It can do that?"

"Trust me, it can do that and more, I'm afraid." Kagome laughed at his bewildered expression. "Here, give me your had an you can feel him." Inuyasha seemed hesitant, but Kagome moved his hand down to the rounder part of her abdomen. She watched as Inuyasha's sharper sensed picked up on the slight heartbeat and movements inside of her womb. The expression on his face was priceless, and Kagome would have given anything for a camera at that moment. His amber eyes were the size of saucers, and his mouth formed a perfect 'o' in amazement.

"Kagome…he's…he's…he's moving!" Inuyasha stuttered, utterly amazed at the concept as his eyes widened in surprise. "There's actually a baby in there!" Kagome tried to hide her amusement at his fascination. Kouga had had pretty much the same reaction weeks ago when the baby had started moving more frequently. 

"Yes, Inuyasha, there's our baby in there." she said simply. Inuyasha grinned and shook his head.

"My baby." he muttered. "My baby…" Kagome nodded and patted his hand.

"So I'll see you in a few days?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah." Inuyasha said distractedly, still staring at her swollen waist. "A few days."

"You'd better get going then." she said, nodding towards the forest. "Kouga and I are about to go back to the den. I think he's about to burst an artery right now, and the last thing any of us need is another fight."

"Right…Kouga….artery…fight…….of course." he mumbled. Inuyasha's mind was finally registering that he was going to be a father. It had been easy to ignore the fact that he was responsible for creating that baby inside Kagome, considering that he had not even been around her during the duration of the pregnancy. All he ever saw from his secluded tree top hiding places was her expanding waistline. He never really realized that it was because of a baby……his baby……that Kagome was changing so much. Now that he had felt the tiny being inside of her, he was floored into the ground at what he'd done.

"Go on, Inuyasha." Kagome said, a small grin on her face as she backed away from him. Inuyasha nodded as he watched her go back towards the hut….and Kouga. The wolf prince came out to meet her before she ever got to the entrance.

"Kagome?" he called out suddenly. Kagome turned around and looked at the hanyou, a gentle smile on her face. 

"Yes, Inuyasha?" she questioned.

"I…just…" he stuttered, shaking his head. "Thank you." Kagome smiled and nodded at him as Kouga walked up behind her, placing his arms around her.

"Your welcome." she said simply. Inuyasha grinned and took off into the forest, soon disappearing out of sight. When Kouga was sure the hanyou was gone, he hugged Kagome gently and breathed in her calming scent, reassuring himself that she was still with him.

"I take it you told him?" he questioned crossly.

"Yes. I told him he could come to the den." she stated, smiling up at him and giving him a kiss to try and calm his nerves down a bit. "He said he'd be by the den in a few days to check on me and the baby."

"He doesn't need to check on you." Kouga grumbled as he picked her up and got ready to fly off. "I'll take care of you, you know that." Kagome smiled as they took off from the ground.

" I know that." she said softly, kissing him on the cheek as the air rushed by them. "But he seems like he doesn't mind the idea."

"Well, I mind." Kouga grumbled again. As far as he was concerned, Inuyasha was trying to take Kagome away from him, and he did not want that at all. He had been watching carefully when Kagome allowed Inuyasha to feel the moving baby inside of her. And he saw Inuyasha's astounded realization of the child's actual presence when the hanyou's face turned from nervous to absolutely amazed. Kouga did not like the reaction from the hanyou, and he was afraid that Kagome was going to go back to the hanyou if he did not try to keep her at his side. 

He would not crowd Kagome, or cage her. But he would let her know that he loved her more than anything else in the world. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As promised, Inuyasha showed up at the wolves' den three days later, only to be met by the one person who really did not ant to see him….and that person was not Kouga. The hanyou had been caught lounging in tree on the outside perimeters of the cave by none other than Mika, the very demoness that had turned Kikyou into a bloody mass of bones and shredded flesh. Very few words had been exchanged between the two as Mika brought him into the camp to find Kagome. When Inuyasha had been delivered to her and Kouga, mika had not stuck around. In fact, she had gotten out of there as quickly as possible.

Inuyasha and Kagome had went for a walk that day along the river bank, and had a very long and drawn out conversation about what had happened, what was going on now, and what the future would hold, which reduced Kagome to tears on more than one occasion; thereby prompting Kouga to come running to find out what was going on. After the second time Kouga had come to check on her, Kagome told the over protective wolf prince to stay with her as she and Inuyasha finished their conversation.

Now that a few of the more major concerns about Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship had been clarified and laid to rest, as well as the future of the impending child, Kouga had seemed les hostile towards the hanyou. Although that reaction from the wolf prince was probably also due to the understanding he and Kagome had come to the days before Inuyasha's initial visit to the den.

During the three day span that Inuyasha had waited to go talk to Kagome, he had made amends with certain people. He had went back to Kaede's village and apologized to the old miko for being such an ass. Kaede, fully expecting that he would eventually make his way back, had welcomed him back with her usual open arms and quick wit. A few days after he had started visiting, Kagome suggested going to tell Sango and Miroku that things were getting back to normal. Their arrival at the extermination village had been tense to say the least, especially after Kagome had sent Kohaku to get Sango and Miroku to meet them outside the village walls, seeing as how they refused to let demons into the village. When Kohaku had delivered the message that Inuyasha and Kouga were outside the village, Sango had stormed out of the hut, boomerang in hand and ready to get rid of Inuyasha once and for all. It had taken Kagome jumping in front of Inuyasha to keep an angry Sango from trying to kill him. It took a good part of the day, but after Sango's temper had been tamped down from a raging inferno to a smoldering flame, Kagome and the two demons had explained the situation with Kikyou, and what had happened. By the end of the day, Inuyasha had gained Miroku's forgiveness and Sango's attempt at being less openly hostile towards the half demon. Inuyasha knew that it would take a while for Sango to ever trust him again because of what he'd done, and he was willing to wait for it.

Kagome's heart was now with the wolf pack and Kouga, and Inuyasha knew that. He had seen that not long after he had started coming around to talk things out with her. Inuyasha had seen the love and adoration she held for the wolf prince Kouga, and he knew that he would never hold her heart again. The pack loved her, the children loved her, and most importantly, Kouga loved her beyond all reason. The one thing that bothered him though, was the lack of a mating mark on her. When demons mated, they marked their mates, but Kagome bore no mark, and it surprised him that Kouga had not already marked her. So, Inuyasha decided to ask her about it one evening while they were walking around the den.

**_Flashback_**

_"Kagome?" he asked, pushing a tree branch out of their way._

"Yes?" Kagome answered.

"What about Kouga?" he asked timidly, wondering how the question was going to affect her.

"What about him?" Kagome asked, the tone in her voice changing from one of stability to one of indecisiveness at the mention of the wolf prince's name.

"Are you going to stay with him after the baby is born?" Inuyasha asked, looking at her for a reaction. "Or are you going to go back to Kaede's, or maybe your time?"

"I…I'm not…….sure, to be perfectly honest." she had said quietly, casting her eyes to the ground in nervousness. "I am going to go back home to tell my mother, and bring the baby with me, but that won't happen until I get the jewel back from Sango and Miroku. As for living with Kaede, I'm not sure about that either."

"You're not mated to him, so you still have the option of leaving." Inuyasha had pointed out, his voice holding a hint of hopefulness. Kagome's head hung in confusion. She knew she loved Kouga, but her feelings for Inuyasha were still there, albeit weak. 

"I'm just confused right now, Inuyasha." she had said quietly, not looking at him. "Things have changed so much. The time will come when I have to make me decision. When that time comes, I will make it." Inuyasha had nodded, understanding that she was stuck between her lingering affection for him and her obvious love and adoration of Kouga and the tribe. 

"Whatever you choose, I'll stand beside you, Kagome." he had promised.

"Thank you, Inuyasha." she cried. "you don't realize how much that means to me." She had broken down into tears again, and Inuyasha had held her tight, stroking her hair and trying to calm her down. He knew that had someone asked her that question two weeks ago, she would not have hesitated to say that she was going to stay with Kouga. Now, things were different, and Inuyasha was the main cause of it.

Eventually it had worked and Kagome calmed down enough. It was dark when they returned to the den, and Kouga was waiting on them. Inuyasha never spoke another word about her outburst, or her indecisiveness about Kouga. He only bid them goodnight before disappearing once again into the forest.

**End Flashback**

It had been decided between Kouga, Kagome, and Inuyasha that Inuyasha could have safe passage in and out of the den as he saw fit, as long as no trouble erupted. Inuyasha, now in better spirits since he and Kagome had worked out their problems, had promised to help Kagome as much as he could as the pregnancy wore on, and he even said that he'd like to take an interest in the child and its welfare. Kouga had not liked that particular idea, but a glare from Kagome's direction had shut him up rather quickly. Kagome knew how it felt to grow up without a father, and she did not want her child to have to experience that. She truly believed that Inuyasha would try to help her now that Kikyou was gone, and he had not reservations about her and the baby. It was during these times that she and Inuyasha had laid the foundations to rebuild their friendship. They would work to patch things up between the two of them as best they could, but Inuyasha knew it would never be like it had been during the hunt for the shards.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

__

A/N- Okay, how'd that one go? I hope you guys enjoyed it. I know there was a lot of information to digest in one chapter, so here is a recount of what happened:

- Inuyasha woke up, apologized to Kagome, Kaede, Sango, and Miroku. Kagome forgave him, as well as Kaede and Miroku, but Sango is still somewhat ticked at him.

- Inuyasha realizes that he will never get Kagome back, and that she will more than likely stay with the wolf pack and become Kouga's mate after the child is born. And he accepts that.

- Inuyasha continues to go back and forth to the den to try and work things out with Kagome, and try to fix their friendship. He wants to have something to do with the baby now that Kikyou's gone. 

-Inuyasha and Kagome come to a consensus on the child, which you will find out in the next chapter. And Kouga goes paranoid, thinking that Kagome is going to leave him and go back to Inuyasha now that Kikyou is gone.

Okay, I think that just about sums it up. I know this chapter is kind of rushed, but I've got the last chapter wrote, and ready to post. So, I hope you guys enjoy.

Later,

A.A.

P.S. Remember to leave me a review.


	36. Chapter 36

Disclaimer - It's not mine. It never was.

**A/N-** Okay peeps. This story is officially over with. This is the last chapter. I'm so glad you guys have stuck with me through this story. Thanks to everyone.

Later,

A.A.

* * *

In My Heart, I Never Truly Left 

Chapter 36

In the End, All is Well

* * *

It kept on like this for the two and a half months before Kagome gave birth. The young miko stayed with the wolf tribe, carrying on her normal duties as best she could until Keiko ordered her to get in the bed and stay there until she had the child. Kouga was by her side when possible, and any other time, Inuyasha was with her. It seemed as though the impending pregnancy had made the two domineering males come to some sort of uneasy agreement, which only made Kagome happier.

Of course, tension still occasionally ran high between the two demons. They still glared and snarled and growled at each other when they thought Kagome was occupied doing something else. It had even gotten so bad one time that Kagome told Mika to help her bodily separate the two before blood flew and one of them wound up dead.

Mika, used to Inuyasha's presence by now, had challenged him to a spar to get him to work off some pent up tension and frustration. The hanyou had left with the demoness and stayed gone for most of the day. When they had finally shown back up at the den, Inuyasha was in much better spirits. Kagome tried to get Mika to tell her what had him in such a good mood, but Mika would never spill. Eventually though, Kagome gave up and let it go.

Even after all of that, though. They still threw insults at each other on a regular basis. Yells of _'mangy wolf'_ and _'stupid idiot'_ were mixed in with the ever present _'dog breath'_ and _'dog turd'_ at any given point when Inuyasha was around. The rest of the pack had learned to ignore the insults about wolves, realizing that Inuyasha was referring to Kouga, and not the rest of them. Of course, the elders of the pack had had some reservations when Kouga told them about Inuyasha coming and going through the pack. It had taken a while, and a whole lot of persuasion on Kagome's part, to get many of the elders to comply with her. Not that it really stopped their complaining, but it did help when Kagome and Inuyasha walked through the den and did not get glared at. Lord Jiro and Lady Laniko had gotten wind of the situation not long after that and laughed.

Kagome was happy to see the two important men in her life attempting to get along, even if it was only temporary, and for her sake to begin with. As she watched the way they interacted, she had felt her heart twist from the love she had for both of them. But, she know there was only one of them she could forever trust her life into. She knew there was only one that she would forever feel connected to. And it was that one, that she loved more than anything in the world.

* * *

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" came the blood curdling scream from inside the small, sectioned off part of the cave Kagome had went into nearly five hours ago. Outside the doorway that led to the room where Kagome was now giving birth, Kouga and Inuyasha paced back and forth, every now and then throwing glares at one another and grumbling about _'mangy wolves' _and _'stupid dogs'. _Kagome had been in labor for going into sixteen hours, and both the wolf prince and the hanyou were walking on egg shells every time she screamed. Another scream of pain erupted from the room and Inuyasha pinned his ears to the back of his head as a reflex. 

"This is crazy!" the hanyou shouted. "How hard is it to have a baby!"

"Well, obviously hard enough, hearing how Lady Kagome seems to be screaming her head off in there." Mika said simply, coming into the den where the two demons were pacing. Kouga growled and Inuyasha continued to pace, completely ignoring the white haired demoness' smart remark. "Will you two calm down all ready? Kagome will be fine. Keiko knows what she is doing, as does Kuarasama."

Another sob of pain was heard and the two males looked at each other, glared, and took off towards the opening leading to where Kagome was. Somehow, Mika seemed to pop in front of them at the last minute, effectively blocking their way into the chamber.

"Stop right there, the both of you!" she said loudly, ready to knock their heads together if need be. Men couldget so irrational when a woman was in childbirth, and these two were definitely living up to that observation."Neither of you are needed in their right now. So stay out! It should not be much longer before you get to see them both."

"It's been sixteen damned hours!" Inuyasha exclaimed, glaring at the demoness. "Isn't that kid out of there yet!" Kouga and Inuyasha heard Keiko and Kuarasama, who had had Kagome at her side during her own birth the month before,coaching Kagome through the intense labor pains. Two seconds later, Kagome gave one final heave, and the two heard the healthy cries of a baby, right along with Kagome's exhausted sobs. The two men tried to get through once more, but was stopped again my Mika.

"They still have to deliver the afterbirth, boys." she smiled. "Then you can go in."

"Mika…" Kouga growled, loosing his patience with her. He knew Kagome was in pain, and it annoyed the heck out of him that he could not even get to her to help. It didn't help his conscious that the person who was responsible for Kagome's pain was standing right next to him, but he dealt with it for her sake, and her sake alone.

"Damn it, wench! Let us through!" Inuyasha yelled, his patience long gone out the window.

"Sorry, can't do that." she said, enjoying the hell out of teasing them so much. "Women are meant to give birth. So, there's no need for you two to be in there, underfoot and in the way. You've got the easy part. Just sit down and relax." The two demons grumbled and walked away from the entrance. What seemed like an eternity later, which was actually only a few minutes, Kuarasama pushed aside the curtain, only to come face to face with Kouga and Inuyasha.

"Well come on, you two. Kagome wants to see you both." she said with a smile. The two demons quickly went in and Keiko and her own daughter filed out, giving the three some privacy.

Sitting on the make-shift bed was Kagome, and a small bundle of cloth in her arms.

"Kagome?" Kouga asked, going to her side.

"Are you alright?" Inuyasha questioned, checking her from head to toe.

"I'm fine, guys." she answered, her eyes bleary from the pains of an extended labor, and little beads of sweat still clinging to her face and neck. "Just a little tired. But there is someone who wants to see you two. Come here." Kagome moved the little bundle around and pulled back one of the wraps. Nestled inside was the small, wrinkly face of a new born baby girl. There was already black hair on the child's head, and when she opened her eyes and yawned, Inuyasha gasped and Kouga grinned. Her eyes were amber colored, just like her father's.

"She's beautiful, Kagome." Inuyasha said breathlessly, staring at the little bundle. "You done such a good job. She's perfect."

"Want to hold her?" Kagome asked, offering the child to him carefully.

"Are you sure?" Inuyasha stuttered. "I mean…."

"She's your daughter, dog breath. She's not going t o bite you." Kouga teased. Inuyasha carefully took the baby girl, still in awe of the life before him. While he was staring at the child, completely transfixed, Kouga sat down next to Kagome and hugged her gently before giving her a kiss.

"You did wonderful, love. She's absolutely gorgeous." he said. Kagome only smiled and nodded before laying her head on his chest, to physically exhausted from the labor to do much else. Inuyasha, meanwhile, was murmuring something to the baby that no one could hear; but when Kagome saw his face light up into a mega-watt smile, she knew something was going on.

"She smiled at me, Kagome!" he said excitedly. "She smiled at me!" Kagome grinned at his enthusiasm, and Kouga chuckled. Being the leader of the wolf pack, he knew how hard it was for women to give birth. And he was just glad that Kagome seemed to be okay, and not suffer any complications other than a very long labor.

"Are you sure she wasn't just laughing at you, dog-turd?" Kouga asked. Inuyasha glared at the wolf, but did not retort. It was not long before the child started crying. Kagome took her back and the child began to nurse hungrily.

"So what' s her name going to be?" Kagome asked, looking up at the two of them once she got the child settled down to feed.

"You want us to name her?" Kouga asked, wondering if she was feeling okay.

"Um-hmm." Kagome answered. "Both of you. Inuyasha picks the first name, and you pick her middle name, Kouga."

"Yoshe." Inuyasha said after a minute of thinking.

"Sakura." Kouga said right afterwards.

"Yoshe Sakura…." Kagome thought, watching the baby eat. "Sounds like a good name to me. Yoshe Sakura it is then." By now, little Yoshe had finished eating and was about to sleep. Kagome, completely exhausted, soon followed in sleep. The two demons left in the room looked at each other and grinned. Kagome was safe, and now the child was in the world, sleeping near it's mother. So everything was on the path to being okay as far as they were concerned.

Both Kouga and Inuyasha had come to an unspoken agreement about Kagome, not long after the battle with Kikyou. Inuyasha still cared abut her deeply, and the fact that he now had a baby girl the he shared with her only strengthened that bond. He knew that Kagome still cared about him, and loved him, but it was not the same love she now held for the wolf prince, the same love she once held for him, but he had been too blind to see. He had lost Kagome to the wolf demon, and that hurt him, but he knew Kagome was finally happy.

* * *

Over the past two and a half months, ever since the truth had come out, Kagome had helped him come to terms with what had happened. It was during these extended walks through the woods and longer stays at Kouga's den, that Inuyasha had watched how Kagome and Kouga interacted with each other. As the pregnancy advanced into its final stages, Inuyasha had stepped back once again, allowing Kouga to have a larger part with Kagome. He had never seen Kagomeas happy as she was when Kouga was with her, and he did not want to break her spirit again. He'd done it too much already. 

Kouga, on the other hand, was still wary of the dog demon. Ever since Kagome had come to stay with him and his pack, Kouga had learned how to read her facial expressions and body language. The proud wolf prince knew Kagome still cared about Inuyasha, loved him even after everything that had happened. But he also knew, because Kagome had told him one night down by the hot springs, that her love for Inuyasha had changed to that of a dear friend. It had also been that night by the hot springs, that Kagome had confessed her own love for Kouga after so long.

* * *

_They had been walking along the bank of the springs near the den, relaxing as another day passed by. Kagome had been sentenced to complete bed rest by Keiko, but Kouga had managed to get the demoness to relent, at least for a little while, and let Kagome go stretch her legs. _

_"It is peaceful out tonight." she said, burrowing into Kouga's side and watching the fireflies flit around them in the moonlight. Kouga nodded, not sure of how to respond to that. He was still a little peeved, to be honest. Inuyasha had been at the den earlier that day, and an argument between the two of them had emerged, which was nothing unusual. They usually tried to keep their serious confrontations away from the very pregnant Kagome, but this time she had come in right during the middle of it._

_The two males had quickly calmed down after that, and Mika had taken Inuyasha away for a while. Kagome had seemed angry with the both of them, and had avoided him until Inuyasha had come back. The hanyou had seemed to be in Kagome's good graces, unlike himself. And it angered him that Kagome would take the dog demon's side, as opposed to his own.But the worse part was when Inuyasha had kissed Kagome on the cheek before leaving. That itself had caused Kouga to get angrier than anything. He had left right then, going into the woods to vent some frustration over the situation._

_When he had come back, he had conned Keiko into letting Kagome come with him. He had been bound and determined to find out how he stood with Kagome, and the part that Inuyasha was going to play. He realized that he was being insecure, and moody, but... Well, after waiting so long for Kagome to come to him, and accept his feelings for her, he did not want to lose them._

_"Are you okay, Kouga?" Kagome asked, looking up at him, her eyes wide and worried. "You are unusually quiet tonight."_

_"Just thinking." he said, smiling down at her. He wasn't sure how to start out the conversation he wanted to have with her, at least not without blowing up and getting angry about Inuyasha, but luckily for him, Kagome had a good idea as to what was bothering him._

_"It is Inuyasha, isn't it? The kiss he gave me before he left?" she asked quietly, looking out over the water once again, absently rubbing her very rounded abdomen. "You're angry with him."_

_"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't." Kouga ground out, trying to keep his temper in check. He knew losing his temper would only work to his disadvantage. "The hanyou is overstepping his bounds."_

_"Bounds?"_

_"Touching you like that." Kouga snapped. "Like he loves you."_

_"He does love me, Kouga." Kagome said simply. "And I love him, as well." Kouga honestly felt his heart break in two pieces when she said that. After all the time, all the energy he'd invested, he still had not been able to capture Kagome's love like the hanyou had. He turned his back and began to pull his energy around him, forming his trademark tornado. At least he was, until Kagome got in front of him, a frown on her face, and her hands on her hips. "And where are you going?"_

_"To get the half-breed." he growled, gently pushing her away. He'd heard enough._

_"What for?" Kagome demanded, the confusion evident on her face, right along with the hurt that Kouga's tone had taken with her. "Why are you going to get him?"_

_"You want to be with the one you love, right?" he demanded, the air around him still swirling maddeningly._

_"Well...yeah... but..."_

_"I'm going to get him." he said sadly. "You don't want to be here, not with me. He still has your heart." He looked away and pulled his energy around him once again. Kagome would be fine until he got back with Inuyasha. He'd send Ginta or Hakkaku to keep her company until he returned. He was so engrossed in his pity party that he never noticed when Kagome wrapped her arms around his midsection and hissed at him. In fact, he almost knocked her down as he took off towards the den. "What are you doing?"_

_"I'm trying to make you understand something." she said firmly. "But you're not making it any easier for me."_

_"What is there to understand?" he asked, shaking his head. "You love the halfbreed."_

_"I do." she said, nodding her head in affirmation. "And I always will. But my love for him is...different than it used to be." Kouga looked down at her in sheer confusion._

_"What?" he asked, sitting her down on a small rock nearby and kneeling down in front of her, waiting for an explanation of some sort._

_"Kouga, I loved Inuyasha once, and you know that." she said, causing the wolf prince to growl in annoyance. "He was my first love. But now, things are different between him and I. I love him as a friend, an ally, a close comrade that shares a part of me. I can't forget him, Kouga. And I won't."_

_"I know that." he grumbled._

_"But, you..." she said, shaking her head when he looked up at her with those big blue eyes. "You're different." She reached out and ran her hands through his bangs, pushing them out of his eyes. Kouga had trembled at the touch. He knew Kagome's touch anywhere. And it always had that same calming, soothing effect on him, no matter what. "You are the one that holds my heart now, Kouga. Not Inuyasha. Not anymore."_

_"You mean..."_

_"You're the one I love, silly." she smiled, tugging him to her height and wrapping her arms around him. "You have been the one I've loved for a long time, and I just didn't realize it then." Kouga knew the look on his face was priceless, and Kagome's bell like laughter had finally woken him up to the reality of what she had just said._

_"You mean it?" he asked quietly. "You honestly mean it?"_

_"I wouldn't say it, if I didn't mean it, Kouga." she said softly. "You know that."_

_"But..Inuyasha..."_

_"Kouga, you have to understand. I made a promise to Inuyasha, not long after we first met." Kagome said, laying her head on his chest as he pulled her down into his lap. "I promised him that I would always be with him, by his side. At the time, I thought I would fulfill that role as his wife, his mate. But now I realize that my role will be to help him along as a friend, and nothing more." The miko had looked up at him, nothing but honesty in her eyes, and smiled. "I'm yours, Kouga. Not his. Not anymore. Please, don't doubt me when I say that."Kouga was honestly speechless at what she had said. But his heart was bursting with happiness, knowing that she loved him, and was willing to stay at his side._

_"I don't doubt you, love." he said, leaning down and giving her a gentle kiss. Kagome smiled and reached up, pulling him closer to her and deepening the kiss until both of them had to break away, gasping for breath._

_"I love you, Kouga, with all my heart." she said."I wouldn't ask you to drop your friendship with Ayame, or any of the other females of the packs, so please don't ask me to abandon my promise to Inuyasha."_

_"I love you too, Kagome." he said, a smile on his face as he ran his clawed fingers through her hair. "You are my world, my life. And when this is over, and our child born, I want to take you as my mate. I want you by my side, ruling over our tribes. Please, tell me you'll say yes." His other hand rested lightly on her stomach, feeling the minute movements of the little life in her womb. He honestly wondered what she was going to say. But he needn't worried to long because Kagome used her hand to lift his face up to hers, then planted a small kiss on his forehead._

_"You know I will, Kouga." she answered, smiling happily as a few tears gathered in her eyes as proof of her happiness. "I'll be with you, from now on. No one's going to take me away. Not now, not ever."_

* * *

Kouga remembered that night fondly, a smile on his face as he looked down at the woman he loved, and the child he had all but considered as his own up until Inuyasha had come back into the equation two and a half months ago. Now, he was not sure exactly what part he would play with the child, seeing as how the hanyou was back, but he planned on finally taking Kagome as his mate as soon as she recovered from the birth. He wanted to have a part in the little girl's life. He was brought out of his musings by a voice at the entrance. 

"You two just plan on sitting there all day?" Mika questioned, sticking her head in the room and grinning when she saw the little baby sleeping.

"Not you again." Inuyasha said, trying to hide a grin at seeing the wolf demoness. "Don't you have something else to do?" Kouga looked at the two and raised an eyebrow. It seemed as though Inuyasha had taken a shy to the outspoken demoness during the past few months, despite what had happened to Kikyou. And anytime he wasn't with Kagome, he was with her.

"Not really." she grinned, playfully patting the hanyou's head like a child as she walked in. "But Keiko wants to know if you guys are hungry."

"We'll be there in a minute, Mika." Kouga said.

"That's fine. I'll tellher to keep some food out." she said with a grin. "I know how the both of you have horrid appetites. I just hope the new addition to the pack doesn't take after either of you." Inuyasha grumbled and Kouga nodded towards the retreating figure of Mika.

"Go ahead, dog-turd." he said with a grin. "I'll wait with Kagome for a little longer." The hanyou nodded and left, but not before casting a glance at Kagome. A few moments later, Kagome spoke, startling Kouga, who whad thought she was asleep.

"It seems like I'm not the only one who's been helping Inuyasha." she said sleepily, adjusting her hold on Yoshe. Kouga smiled and took the baby from her, allowing her to sit up. He looked down at the sleeping child in awe, wondering if any children he gave Kagome would be as miraculous as this little being.

"She's really beautiful, Kagome. Practically perfect." he said. He was about to hand her back to Kagome, but the miko shook her head and smiled. Seeing Kouga holding the baby so carefully made her smile.

"You can hold her, Kouga." she said wearily. "She won't bite you….yet."

"She's not mine, Kagome." he said, almost sounding sad. Kagome noted the sound of his voice and smiled slightly ready to tell her prince of the good other good news.

"You're right, she's not." Kagome said. "She's ours."

"HUH?" Kouga asked, blinking rapidly. "What are you talking about, love?"

"Inuyasha…he wants her to be raised like the wolf cubs. He wants to be a factor in her life, a father figure. But he knows she will be here with me and you, so there's really no reason to teach her the ways of the inu-clan. He will eventually, but he wants her to get a stable footing with her family before he teaches her anything else." she explained.

"You mean……"

"Inuyasha gave you his blessing to raise her as a wolf, Kouga. In fact, it seems as though little Yoshe will have two daddies." Kouga smiled happily and looked down at the sleeping child. Yoshe may not be his blood child, but he cared for the new life as though it was. Now he realized what Laniko had meant that day at Cali's hut, about being able to love a child that was not truly your own just as well as if it were.

"You know, love," he grinned. "She kinda looks like me anyways." Kagome shook her head and rolled her eyes, knowing exactly where the conversation was leading.

"Don't get any ideas." she warned him.

"But Kagome….Yoshe is going to need a little brother or sister soon." Kouga whined. Kagome smiled and shook her head.

"You're impossible, Kouga." she said with a grin.

"You wouldn't have it any other way…"

* * *

A few weeks later…

Kagome stood in the center of the clearing, the very place where she had almost lost her life, and that of her child's, only a few weeks ago. Around her neck was the legendary Shikon jewel, pulsating its purifying energy. Off to the side stood Kouga, Mika, Inuyasha, Lord Jiro, Lady Laniko, and here baby girl Yoshe, who was gurgling at Kouga and Inuyasha from the relative safety of Laniko's arms.

The little girl was a perfect mixture of Kagome and Inuyasha. Her hair was completely black, save for two white streaks that would appear on either side of her head. Her amber colored eyes were thanks to Inuyasha, but her facial features were practically all Kagome. To be only a few weeks old, Yoshe was growing surprisingly quickly. Keiko had told her that demon children grew quicker than normal humans, and that it was completely normal.

When Kagome had finally brought the baby back to her time to show her mother, Rei Hirugashi had cooed over how she looked so much like Kagome when she was a baby. Of course, since Inuyasha had shown up with her, Kagome had been forced to explain the whole situation with him and Kouga. Her mother was, as usual, completely acceptable to the idea. And they had agreed that Kagome would come home every few days for a few hours to let her mother see the child, which Kouga had already agreed to.

Everything had worked out fine, and Kagome was more than glad. Her brother and grandfather had flipped out when they saw the baby, and Kagome could have sworn she saw a tear in her grandfather's eyes as he held the small bundle and talked to it.

Sango and Miroku had been probably the happiest of it all. The day Kagome had went to retrieve the jewel from the village, Kouga and Inuyasha had been with her. Sango had fell in love with the child on sight, holding her and cuddling her. Miroku, ever the pervert, had suggested that if Sango wanted a baby so much, then maybe they should go practice on making one themselves. Sango had grabbed the first thing she could find and hit the monk over the head……hard.

Shippou had been another one to show. The little kitsune had smiled at the baby for the entire time Kagome had stopped by. And Shippou's mother and father had given her a blanket to wrap the baby up in that had belonged to Shippou as a baby. All in all, their friends were happy that Kagome had finally had the baby.

Kagome smiled, her hand absently going to her neck were two small bumps had scared over from the mating mark Kouga had given her only days after Yoshe's birth. _'Humph. He gives me enough time to get my strength back, then he wears me out again.'_ she thought with a grin as her mind wondered to the night Kouga had finally marked her. _'Why am I not surprised?'_ She shook her head and concentrated on the task before her. Ever since Kikyou had died, the lands had slowly started to repair itself. Now that Kagome was able to wield the power of the jewel again, she intended on giving the land a little boost.

Gathering her energy and concentration, she reached into the depths of her soul and the depths of the Shikon's power. As the familiar tingle once again began to flow through her body, she placed her hands on the ground and will the land to heal itself. She could feel the power flow from the jewel, through her body, and into the struggling land, giving it the extra needed boost of power to purge the poison from the soil and neutralize it with the Shikon's power.

When she could find no more of the poison, she pulled her hands from the soil and slumped to the ground, her energy temporarily depleted from the extensive use of the Shikon's power after not having it for so long.

Kouga and Inuyasha were immediately at her side.

"Kagome, are you okay?" Kouga asked.

"I'm fine, guys. Just a little dizzy." she said, waiting for her head to stop spinning.

"Did it work?" Inuyasha asked, looking around him for some sign of difference.

"It's gone." she said happily. "All traces of the poisonare gone. The land can heal itself much quicker now."

"What would we do without you, Kagome?" Kouga grinned, hugging her tightly.

"I don't know, but you'd be in a lot more trouble." she grinned.

"Inuyasha! Lord Kouga! Lady Kagome!" Mika shouted. "Come see!" Kouga picked Kagome up and Inuyasha took Yoshe from Laniko's arms as they all walked over to where Mika was standing. When they got to Mika, there was a huge smile on her face.

"What's wrong, wench?" Inuyasha barked good naturedly. Mika frowned and punched his shoulder playfully, then took the little baby from his arms.

"The springs are already starting to run again. Look." she said, pointing to the little spring in front of them. From Kagome's view in Kouga's arms, she could see the small spring begin to move at a sluggish pace. It was a small change, but a change none the less from the stagnant pools of water it was earlier.

"Well, that was quick." Laniko commented. "You work fast, Kagome."

"I didn't do that. I just gave it a little boost." she said.

"The land will heal itself." Jiro said, coming to his son's side. "It's just going to take some time." Kagome nodded and looked over to where Inuyasha and Mika were arguing and bickering with each other, with little Yoshe gurgling happily and waving her fists between the two of them.

"Yes." she said with a long sigh as she looked up at her mate. "Time. It's amazing what time can do to things…."

* * *

**A/N-** Okay, it's done. Completely finished. No more to write. Kagome stays with Kouga, and Inuyasha is not left alone. How's that people? Hope you guys enjoyed.

I do have one little favor to ask you, though. Me and some friends were having a discussion the other day, and my fanfic were the topic. All three of them have read this story, and they were commenting on what the strongest and weakest points -overall- of it were.

What I want you guys to do, if you don't mind, is leave me a review telling me what the strongest parts of the overall story were (things that I done well), as well as the weakest points and places were you can see I need to improve (things that could use some improvement). It can be anything from character development to plot development, writing style, anything. I just want to know so that I can fix my weaker points.

So, with that said, I' m going to wish you good people farewell.

Until next time.

Avonnalay-Ariemay

3/24/04


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